The Long And Winding Road
by StorytellerD
Summary: JT & Emma...a story of love, friendships and family. ***Updated! Ch. 73...Will the wedding go forward?***
1. I've Got A Secret

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Summary:** JT & Emma--lifelong friends (and now Degrassi seniors) with an interest in becoming more. But there are also concerns--and Manny--to deal with.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

**Note:** This is my first time writing Degrassi fanfic and I wanted to tell a story featuring my 2 favorite characters, JT & Emma. I'm in the US and so haven't seen all the episodes yet, though I've heard about some of the plots we've missed, such as Manny's pregnancy/abortion. Thus, I worked in some elements and ultimately went my own way. Basically, anything that's happened on the show after "Holiday" & "This Charming Man" isn't canon here. This story also starts with JT, Emma, etc. in Grade 12. (Though, like in late-Season 3, Snake did go into remission at some time before the events in this story.) The first chapters will establish the situation and set everything in motion.

**Chapter 1 -- I've Got A Secret**

It was a Friday afternoon in late October. The final class of the day at Degrassi Community School had just ended, and Emma Nelson was standing outside near the front doors trying to hand out flyers to mostly disinterested exiting students. JT Yorke walked out of the building and stopped once he was standing beside Emma.

"Emma, Emma, Emma…surely you're starting to run out of reasons to hold protest rallies."

"Never," Emma smiled.

"What is it this weekend?" JT asked, a smirk on his face. "Save the anteaters? Protecting the rights of the slime growing in the caf's freezer?"

"Why no, JT," she answered, "but thanks for the ideas. When it's time to focus on those issues, you can lead the way. I can't think of a better expert when it comes to slime."

"You flatter me," he responded.

"I'm way too nice," she teased.

"So, Emma, what is Degrassi's most socially conscious senior concerned about right now?"

JT grabbed one of the flyers, read it and looked back up at her. He looked again at the paper, then back at her once more.

"You're kidding," he said in disbelief.

"Well…I just thought…this weekend we should protest the fact that nobody showed up for the last protest."

"That does it, Emma Nelson," JT said, shaking his head. "You are officially burned out on protests, rallies, save the whatever, help control this, help fight that, and all the rest."

"But…"

"And just look at this waste," JT interrupted. "Printing out all this paper for a protest about protests that nobody will show up for. I have half a mind to call the tree police and tell them what you're doing."

"Oh no, you wouldn't do that!" Emma said, starting to laugh.

"I just might," JT continued. "We're talking demerits. Maybe even getting kicked out of the 'Bark of the Month' club."

"Not that, JT," Emma replied, now playing along. "I didn't know you could be so cruel."

"It's for your own good, Emma. The first step is admitting you have a problem."

"Oh, okay. I'll try…M-m-my n-n-name is Emma…and I'm a protest-aholic."

"Hi Emma!"

By now they had both started laughing.

"Okay, JT," she then said in a more serious tone. "Point taken. Maybe I HAVE been going a little overboard lately."

"Just save that energy for the really important issues," he advised. "Know which battles are worth fighting."

"JT, you do know that you've become a major pain since you started getting so wise these last few years."

"True," he responded, "but then you thought I was a major pain before that, too, so I'm not worried."

"You on your way to the theater?" she then asked.

"An assistant manager's work is never done, Emma."

"I know. If you're not there to keep the popcorn machine running, who knows what would happen."

"So sweet, yet so humor-impaired," JT countered, rolling his eyes. "When you work for one of the only movie theaters in town that's not a megaplex or showing only the most popular films, you learn to do a little of everything."

"Like counting pretzels," she joked.

"Yeah, like counting…HEY!"

"Just teasing, JT."

"So…tomorrow, usual time?" he asked.

"Of course," Emma replied without hesitation.

"This weekend, it'll be 'The Gold Rush,' starring The Little Tramp. And don't worry, Emma; it's nothing sleazy. 'The Little Tramp' is just Charlie Chaplin's nickname because he played a vagrant in his comedies."

"I know," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "Now go, so you're not late."

"Later, Emma."

Emma watched JT as he walked toward the student parking lot. She then looked down at the stack of flyers in her hand. As she did this, her former close friend Manny Santos exited the school building and approached her.

"Hey, Emma," Manny said after some hesitation.

"Hey," Emma replied, equally hesitant.

"Whatcha got there?"

Emma looked back down at the stack in her hands.

"This? Nothing. Just…stuff for my recycle bin."

"Oh," Manny responded, feeling awkward. "So…major plans this weekend?"

"The usual. Study, hang out with some friends…"

"See a movie…" Manny added to Emma's list.

"Um, yeah, I guess," Emma confirmed.

The two then started walking down the front steps and toward the curb.

"So, Emma, how is JT these days?"

'Still vertical,' Emma thought to herself, 'which is probably why you never gave him a chance, Manny. You like your guys to stay horizontal as much as possible.'

Emma smiled. She was sorely tempted to say those thoughts out loud, but she refrained.

"I don't get a chance to chat with him much anymore," Manny continued. "Mostly different classes and all."

"JT is fine, Manny."

"From what I've noticed, the two of you seem to be really close."

"Of course we are," Emma responded, annoyed. "It's called friendship. One that's lasted since the first day of kindergarten and just keeps growing."

"Emma, I just meant…"

Before Manny could finish, a car pulled up beside them. The driver was Emma's friend and fellow classmate Courtney Harper.

"You ready, Em?" Courtney called out from behind the wheel.

"Yeah, let's go," she replied. "Goodbye, Manny."

"Emma, about JT…"

"You want to know something about JT, Manny?" Emma interrupted. "Today he told me about this movie. He said it stars The Little Tramp."

"That's…uh…Chaplin, right?" Manny said, uncertain of Emma's point.

"Right," Emma answered, getting into the car and putting her seat belt on. "But at first, I was starting to wonder if maybe you might have added making dirty movies to your resume. Don't you think that nickname is just…perfect? Have a nice weekend, Manny."

Courtney and Emma drove off. Manny, visibly sad, stood at the curb awhile longer.

Soon, Emma and Courtney were sitting in a booth at Ryan's Grille, formerly The Dot.

"All calm now?" Courtney asked. "Claws back in their rightful positions?"

"I'm fine," Emma replied.

"You've told me before, but it's so hard to believe that you and that girl used to be best friends."

"Yeah, Courtney. She was once this nice girl who'd never dream of stirring up trouble. Then one day it's like aliens must have jumped out of the bushes on her way to school and shot her with the Slut Ray 3000. After that, she decided the less clothes the better, the more flirting the better. Anything goes, including her close friendships. I don't know. We made peace after she had her miscarriage last year, but sometimes, she just gets to me and I can't help wanting to tell her off."

"Like whenever she mentions JT's name?"

Emma glared at Courtney in response to this question.

"Hey, Emma, it's okay. No accusations. Just a natural assumption."

The conversation was interrupted by the waiter, who brought over their food.

"Hamburger and fries," he said to Courtney, placing her order in front of her. Then he turned toward Emma. "And one chicken sandwich, extra mayonnaise."

"Thanks," Emma and Courtney said, in unison.

"It's so much nicer here now," Emma began after the waiter left them alone. "The good service, less noise, a real family restaurant instead of just some noisy dive. And now it's family owned. The old place looked like it could have been a front for the mob or something. The Great Tater Tot Inferno that torched The Dot ended up being a blessing. Don't you think so? You've been in the neighborhood for about a year now. Enough time before the fire to make a comparison."

"You're trying to change the subject, Emma."

"Who? Me?" Emma asked with an overly fake innocence in her voice.

"How long did JT and Manny go out?"

"Off and on for a couple of years," Emma explained. "Mostly off. It was a week here, a day there. Whenever she could be bothered to fit him into her schedule. You see, Courtney, the bad thing for Manny about going steady with JT was that it interfered with her self-appointed duty to date all the boys in the upper grades."

"Okay, Emma, but after awhile he must have expected he wouldn't be the only one. Still, he kept trying to date her anyway?"

"JT likes to date cute girls. Apparently even skanky ones. But even more than that, JT likes to help people. Friends, family, people who pick on him, you name it. He doesn't like to see people hurt. He'll joke with them or argue them out of a crazy decision or just sit and listen. It's one of his best qualities, one of the things I lo–…one of his best qualities."

Courtney nodded her head, while continuing to put the pieces together in her mind.

"But it also means it's easier for him to get hurt," Emma added.

"And the baby Manny was carrying…was it…?"

"JT's? No. They never got that close, thank God. It was Craig Manning's. You've met him a few times. Finally, there came a point where JT stopped asking her out. They barely speak anymore unless it's school related. Maybe she finally told him something that convinced him he couldn't reform her."

"Then all is well," Courtney said.

"Sure, but the last thing JT needs is for Manny to start asking about him and putting him back on that roller coaster."

"So you're his guardian angel?"

"When I need to be," Emma said with a big smile.

"Whether he asks for one or not," Courtney responded.

"Like he says, we're the Two Musketeers. We always look out for one another. Friends to the end."

"Never more than friends?"

"We probably know each other too well," Emma explained. "Ever since we were little. JT would never think of me like that."

"But hasn't he known Manny just as long?"

"Exactly," Emma replied. "If JT was going to pull one of his clumsy but adorable come-ons with me, I'm sure he'd have done it long before now. He doesn't see me in that way. After watching me stumble through several relationship disasters, I can't really blame him."

"But, what if he WAS interested?" Courtney asked, though feeling she already knew the true answer. "Would YOU be interested? Would you take a chance and turn that lifelong friendship into something more?"

Emma hesitated for a moment, then smiled.

"So…um, how's your burger?" Emma asked, trying to change the subject.

"I thought so."

"This is silly, Courtney. Anyway, after we finish here, do you want to drive around for awhile and then come over to the house?"

"Sure. Or maybe we could make a stop at a certain cinema and see how a certain someone is doing."

"Courtney…"

"Just a thought," Courtney said, holding her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, your house it is."

"Great. Oh, and Courtney, if you even think of telling JT about this conversation…"

"You mean about the feelings you have which you say you don't have because he can't know you have them because of this strange idea that nothing could ever happen? How could I tell him when it doesn't make any sense?"

"Good," Emma stated. "No sense thinking about something when there's no chance it will amount to anything. Not that I've been thinking about something that wouldn't happen."

"Right. Keep telling yourself that, Emma, and some day you might even start to believe it. And that would be unfortunate."

**End Note:** Emma eating chicken...not a mistake. Don't worry. This kind of food choice will eventually be explained.


	2. Those Dog Gone Memories

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Special thanks to those who have left comments and encouraging words regarding Chapter 1.

Chapter 2 -- Those Dog Gone Memories

Friday evening, JT sat in the office of the theater he helped manage. From behind the desk he was looking over some paperwork when the phone rang.

"Thank you for calling The Movie Difference," JT answered, "home of cinema's independents, oldies and oddities."

As he listened to the caller, he rolled his eyes.

"No, we're not showing 'Total Annihilation 4' here," JT told the caller. "Because you can see that at any other theater. We handle smaller, independent releases and, on weekends, unusual older films and also classic comedies. That's right, nothing starring anyone you're likely to see on that TV show 'Access Entertainment Scandals.'"

There was silence on the other end, and then JT thought he heard a click.

"Hello? Hellooo?" JT figured the person hung up on him.

Patrick Ryan, JT's friend and fellow student, entered the office as JT hung up the phone. Patrick helped work the theater's snack bar, and his family owned Ryan's Grille.

"JT, you gotta help me," Patrick urged. "There's some old guy out in the lobby complaining that after eating the popcorn with the extra butter, he's about to explode."

"Oh, that's probably just Mr. Ellicott," JT said calmly. "He's convinced one day he's going to spontaneously combust. Sell him some Junior Mints and tell him 4 out of 5 doctors said that this is the best medicine for counteracting the harmful effects of movie popcorn butter. Works every time when he gets like that."

"Cool. I'll do that," Patrick replied. Then he had another thought. "Say, is tomorrow another movie day?"

"Pat, this is a theater. Every day is a movie day."

"I mean, with you here in the afternoon. Watching the black-and-whites. With Emma."

"Of course. Why?"

"Just curious," Patrick answered. "I mean, this non-dating dating thing between you and Emma has been going on a long time, JT. When are you going to do what you really want and make it a non-non-dating dating thing? Wait, did I say that right?"

"Patrick," JT stopped him, "right now Mr. Ellicott is out there trying to figure out how to stop dying from imaginary Evil Butter Syndrome. You should get out there and let him in on the miracle cure."

Patrick then left while JT answered another phone call.

"Thank you for calling…"

JT paused and started to look frustrated.

"No, you can't order the Number 5 with an extra order of egg rolls. This is not the Chinese…"

Later that evening, Emma and Courtney entered the Nelson/Simpson house through the front door and headed into the kitchen.

"We can get something to drink then figure out what DVD to watch," Emma told her.

"Sounds good. I know I'm not JT, but hopefully my company won't bore you too much."

"Courtneyyy! What do you want me to say? That I'm crazy about my best friend? That as much time as we spend together, it could be even better if things were on a more than friendly level? He'd freak. You don't know. He would just freak."

"Why is that?" Courtney asked.

"Look, if I were to say anything, or even try to flirt with him…"

Emma's mother and stepfather entered the kitchen as Emma continued speaking.

"…he'd think it was like his sister wants to make out with him or something."

"Some girl is trying to make out with her brother!" Spike asked, looking shocked. "Ewww."

"Hi Ms. Nelson. Hi Mr. Simpson," Courtney greeted.

"Hi ladies," Snake replied.

"Which students is it?" Spike asked.

"Mom, it's not like that," Emma tried to explain.

"I bet it's Frank and Mary," Snake guessed. "They've always seemed closer than your average brother and sister. Or it might be Eddie and Faith. Of course it could very well be the twins, Ned and Ted. Or for that matter…"

"Snake, what the hell is happening over at that school?" Spike exclaimed. "Is someone tampering with the water supply?"

"Mom, no one is dating their relatives," Emma assured her. "At least as far as I know. Like you said, ewww."

"Emma's worried what JT would think if he knew how much she likes him," Courtney explained.

"Awww," Spike gushed. "Emma, that's so sweet!"

"Motherrrr…"

"You've got nothing to worry about," Snake advised Emma. "The boy's not dumb. In fact, I bet JT already knows."

Back at the theater, Patrick had returned to the office and was complaining unsuccessfully to JT.

"You don't know anything, JT," he said. "A hot blonde who doesn't run in the opposite direction when you tell one of your jokes, and you're NOT taking advantage of this good fortune?"

"I'm sure I'm more like a brother to her," JT explained.

"Well, she's already GOT a brother," Patrick reasoned. "So that lets you off the hook there. Now get to work telling her that you want to show her more than 'brotherly love.'"

"Hey Pat, that reminds me, if you ever see Frank and Mary in the theater, make sure they're not getting too cozy when the lights go down."

JT then cringed slightly at the thought.

"You're ignoring my wonderful advice," Patrick continued.

"Oh, so that's what that was," JT said sarcastically.

"Look, JT, you're the one who told me how it used to be four of you coming here every Saturday afternoon, long before you even started working here."

"Yeah," JT confirmed. "Me, Emma, Manny and Toby. I like these old comedies we show on Saturdays. So since we were all starting to spend less time together after school, I made them promise we'd still meet up here for a few hours each Saturday. That way no matter what else was going on we'd still get to hang out together for awhile at least once a week."

"But then…?"

"Patrick, who's telling this story anyway?" JT complained.

"Sorry."

"But then…" JT continued, "Manny quickly became a permanent no-show. I think we'd stopped being a high priority to her."

"That's one down," Patrick interjected.

"Then, not too long after that, Toby started skipping out most times. Kept saying he was busy. Knowing him, that excuse never did make much sense. I guess he really wasn't feeling like hanging out because soon enough he stopped showing up all together. Of course, then he left town with his father earlier this year."

"Leaving just you and Emma."

JT started to smile.

"She's never missed a Saturday," he told Patrick. "Not one. Me either. Even when one of us has been going out with someone, Saturday afternoon has still been our time. Two buddies who love…old comedies."

"And that's all it is," Patrick stated, doubting this was really the case.

"That's…all it is," JT repeated with hesitation in his voice.

"Riiight!" Patrick said, not for a moment believing JT. "Well, it's past time for you to get out of here for the night, JT. And if I were you, I wouldn't still be here talking to your old pal Patrick when there's a 'buddy' like her just a few minutes away."

"Then it's good you're not me," JT said, "because I am very hungry. I'm heading home."

"Your dad still away on business?" Patrick asked.

"When isn't he, Pat?" JT countered, while putting his paperwork in a folder and placing it in the bottom drawer of the desk. "He's a busy attorney."

"I'm sure it must be real lonely there since…well, since your mom passed and your dad is away most of the time."

JT stayed quiet for a moment, then put on a smile.

"Not really," JT replied. "Between school, work and friends…"

"And a good buddy?" Patrick interrupted.

"Yeah, and a good…and Emma…I barely have time to even think up new ways to amuse my demanding public, who expect to be entertained during classes."

JT then stood up and prepared to leave.

"See you later, Pat."

"Night, JT."

Back at Emma's house, Spike re-entered the kitchen with a large book in her hands.

"Here we are," she said to the other three, who were still standing in the room. "I knew it was around here somewhere."

"You should really keep those old photo albums hidden somewhere, Mom," Emma commented. "Maybe bury them as part of a time capsule in the backyard. That way no one can open them for 100 years or so, by which time I'll either be long gone or way too old to hear people laughing."

"Nonsense," Spike said as she sat down at the table. "You had a great childhood and I love looking at these pictures."

"On second thought, Courtney, maybe we should go out for the rest of the evening."

"Not a chance, Em," Courtney responded. "Can you show me those photos, Ms. Nelson?

"Of course," Spike answered. "Come sit here next to me."

As Spike and Courtney sat and began to look through the album, Emma walked toward Snake, who was standing by the counter.

"Archie, do something," she urged.

"Not a chance," Snake said with a smile. "Stopping your mom when she's this interested in something could be hazardous to my health."

"And here's one of the three of them back in…I believe…Grade 2," Spike explained to Courtney. "I think they'd only known each other two…no, three years by then. When they met, they became friends instantly. With Emma and Manny it seemed natural, but I was surprised with JT. Boys and girls that age usually don't get along so well, yet here these three were. Inseparable, I tell you. Of course, for quite awhile back then he was shorter than them. So when it came to being in pictures with the girls, he'd find a rock or phone book or…anything…to stand on, to be as tall as the others and to get them to laugh."

"Just so you all know," Emma interjected, "I'm not listening to any of this, so you're not embarrassing me."

"Did you hear something, Courtney?" Spike teased.

"Why no," Courtney replied, playing along. "Maybe it was the wind outside."

"You can't fight it, Emma," Snake told her. "Can't fight your feelings either. Look, I know you haven't dated anyone in awhile. And from what I can tell, neither has JT. Maybe you're each waiting on the other to say something."

"Oh, and here's one of Blinky," Spike said, pointing out a picture to Courtney. "I haven't thought of him in ages."

"Uh, Blinky?" Courtney asked, confused.

"Yes, Courtney. He was this…"

At the mention of Blinky, Emma tuned out, not hearing Spike tell Courtney about him, and not paying attention to the advice Snake was giving her. She started thinking.

And remembering.

Ten years earlier, a young Emma Nelson sat on the front steps of her home early one morning crying. Young JT Yorke was running down the sidewalk, almost to her yard.

"Hey Emmaaaa!" JT called out. "Come out here."

JT then arrived in her front yard and noticed her sitting on the steps.

"Oh there you are," he said, walking toward her. "Hey Emma, you wanna see how many pebbles I can fit up my nose?"

"Go away, James," she told him.

"Emma, you're crying."

"Duh."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Blinky got away from me when we were at the park yesterday."

"Your puppy Blinky?"

"Do you know any more Blinkys!" she said loudly. "James, he hasn't come back and we can't find him anywhere."

"Well, um, don't cry," young JT said, growing nervous at seeing Emma so upset. "Okay, Emma? It's gonna be okay. I'll help you find Blinky. Just don't cry. Um, maybe he just wanted to run around alone and got lost. Maybe he's back at the park today. Yeah. He's there and he's waiting for you. Ask your mom to take us to the park and we can look again."

Listening to JT, Emma stopped crying and started to calm down.

"You really think we'll see him, James?"

"Yeah. He's not dumb to stay away from you forever." JT then began to smile. "But he HAS to be there, Emma, or I bet you'll make me become your new dog."

JT then got down on all fours and moved up close to Emma.

"And I don't wanna be a dog," he continued. "I'd get tired walking on my hands and feet all the time."

Emma started to laugh.

"And I know you'll make me lick you, Emma. Yuck! And all those dog shots at the vet. Ouch!"

Emma was laughing hard by now, so JT sat down on the steps beside her.

"You stopped crying," he said. "Good. Don't do that again. Okay? Let's go in and get your mom and go to the park."

"Thanks James."

Emma then gave him a big hug, catching the boy by surprise.

"Hey! Don't do that, Emma. You're my friend, but you're still a girl. No hugging."

"Okay," Emma said, rolling her eyes and backing off. "Men…"

"Hey Emma," JT began again.

"Yes James?"

"You can call me Jamie. If you want. James sounds too serious. Like for old people."

Emma smiled at this, which pleased the boy.

"I like that," she said. "Come on, we're wasting time, Jamie. Let's go. Blinky's waiting for us."

"Hey," he had a sudden idea. "I could even make everyone else call me JT. That would be cool."

Emma grabbed JT's hand and they both stood up.

"Yeah, Jamie, and I could hit your nose with a rolled up newspaper. Now come on, let's hurry."

The kids then ran inside the house, Emma dragging JT by the hand.

Back in the present, Emma continued to stand beside her stepfather.

"Even then…" Emma said, out loud but speaking more to herself, "Just kids, but he was looking out for me. Caring. Keeping me laughing."

Emma then grinned.

"And I'm also the only one he's ever let call him Jamie," she added. "Not even Manny."

"What's that, Emma?" Snake, who had continued speaking to her while she was lost in thought, asked.

"We all looked everywhere but he never did turn up again," Spike told Courtney.

"But JT told me not to stay sad," Emma added to Spike's commentary, "because I still had lots of friends and we'd make sure to help out if we ever saw other animals in trouble, because we'd want someone to help Blinky if someone picked him up. Maybe that's when I first started thinking about ways to help animals in trouble. And concern for animals led to eventually helping with environmental causes."

Emma stopped talking and, after a few moments, Courtney finally broke the silence.

"Emma?" she called to her.

There was another silent moment until Emma finally responded.

"I think I need to talk to JT."


	3. Arrangements

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Special thanks to those who have left comments and encouraging words regarding the story so far.

**Chapter 3 -- Arrangements**

Finished working for the evening, JT left the theater and drove home. He entered the house knowing he would be the only one home. Still he called out, trying to create his own echo-like effect, getting quieter with each repetition.

"Anybody home! Anybody home? . . . -body home . . . home."

Then he answered his own question in the same way.

"Of course not! Of course not . . . course not . . . not."

He turned on a table lamp near the door, finally giving the living room some light. Then he went to check the answering machine kept on the bar.

"(BEEP) Are you tired of your long-distance service?"

JT quickly hit the delete button.

"(BEEP) James, this is your father. How are you son? I trust everything is fine. Rather then returning to town next week, it looks like I'll need to stay here at least several more weeks. You know how it goes when it comes to business, especially now that you've got your own managerial position with that local movie house. It's good to know I can go away on these extended trips and you're just fine on your own. Remember that if you need anything, simply call my office and speak with one of my assistants. They will take care of everything. Goodbye."

JT decided not to hit delete, and the machine soon progressed to the third message.

"(BEEP) Are you shy? Lonely? Just stuck in a rut? Try TeleDate, the newest telephone dating service to hit…"

JT again hit delete. There were no further messages. He briefly considered picking up the phone to call Emma, but he decided against it.

Instead, he went into the kitchen and put a frozen dinner in the microwave. While waiting for his food to cook, he left the room and walked toward his bedroom.

Once in his room, JT put his bookbag on the bed, then looked at the framed photos on the desk. One was a picture of his mother. Studying the photo, he thought back to a morning in late April, recalling things he remembered firsthand as well as things others later told him about the events of the day.

On that particular Spring morning, JT and his mother Jillian had been sitting in the kitchen.

"Mother, are you sure you can be away from your business for so long?"

"That's why it pays to hire good assistants," she told her son. "Sometimes I think that design house could run itself."

"You know that's not true," JT assured.

"True," Jillian said, laughing. "But a little excess modesty is good for company morale. You'll understand when you start running your own business one day."

"Your secrets are safe with me," JT kidded.

"JT, if you've changed your mind and want to come along, I'm sure it's not too late to book an extra seat on the plane."

"No, you go," he said. "Give Dad a break from business for a change and have a great vacation. I've got school, then my part-time work at the theater…"

"All of which could easily be postponed or canceled for a few days," she countered. "But that's all right. Never let it be said that I stood in the way of true love."

"What?" JT asked, confused.

"Your weekly rendezvous with Young Miss Nelson, of course," Jillian explained.

"That's just a weekly movie date between friends, Mother, and you know it."

"Potato, po-taht-o," she replied, unconvinced by his explanation.

"And in case you've forgotten," JT continued, "I'm already seeing Melanie."

"Merely a placeholder until yours and Emma's timing is finally right."

"I think your crystal ball is fogged up," he joked.

"You'll see," she said confidently. "Now, while you're in school deciding the nicest way to send Melanie packing, I've got to finish some packing of my own. Oh, and I still have to stop by the bank."

"Have a good time, Mother. Say hello to Dad for me."

"I will," she said as she stood up to leave both the kitchen table and the room. "Don't worry about a thing. Who knows, maybe I'll see something that inspires me to create the next great fashion line."

"Leading to more money and more vacations," JT commented.

Mrs. Yorke then left the kitchen, but continued talking.

"Exactly! Now, there's plenty of food, and there's enough money in the desk to cover any expenses or emergencies. I'll see you in a couple of weeks. Love you!"

"Love you too, Mother," he called out to her.

Later that same day, during his MI class, JT was busy distracting some of his fellow students while Archie Simpson and Principal Dan Raditch were talking out in the hallway.

"Then the drunk says to the bartender, 'I've been thrown out of better bars than this. And I used to be in prison!' Get it? Prison bars!"

JT's girlfriend Melanie, sitting to JT's left, laughed loudly at his joke. She was obviously overdoing it to try to please JT. Emma, sitting to his right, simply smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Your telling jokes should count as a criminal act, JT," Patrick, sitting across from them, said. "You do know that, right?"

Out in the hallway, Raditch left to return to his office. Soon after, Snake re-entered his classroom.

"JT," he called out to the young man.

JT quickly tried to look busy at his computer.

"I was just…assisting some classmates with a difficult study question, Mr. Simpson."

"I need to talk to you out in the hall," Snake said in a serious tone.

JT started to follow Snake out of the room.

"It's been nice knowing you, buddy," Patrick joked.

"No," Emma said, having noticed the look on her stepfather's face. "Something's wrong."

Once out in the hallway, Snake relayed the news he had received from Raditch. While JT's mother was in the bank, there had been a hold-up. Despite security's efforts to take care of the situation with ease, the robbers started firing their weapons. The baby of the woman in line behind Jillian Yorke started crying, startling one of the gunmen, who then opened fire in the direction of the distraction. Jillian shielded the mother and child and pushed them out of the way. In doing so, however, she took the bullets. The gunmen were ultimately apprehended and an ambulance called, but it was too late to save JT's mother.

After listening to Snake's description of the situation, JT stood in silence.

"I should call my father and let him know," the young man finally said. His voice and demeanor were both extremely calm.

"As I understand," Snake then explained, "his office has been notified. I'm guessing he either knows by now or soon will. It was his office that suggested to the police to call the school so you could be notified."

"And my father didn't want to tell me about this himself?" JT asked.

"I couldn't say. I do know that Mr. Raditch took the phone call here. And he thought it would be better if I told you, rather than himself or the police. I wish I had the words to…"

"I guess there are a lot of details to go over," JT interrupted. "Arrangements to be made."

"You don't have to think of that right now, JT. Would you like to talk? To me, or if you'd like maybe you could go see the counselor, or…"

"No. Thank you, Mr. Simpson. I need to go now, if that's okay."

"Of course," Snake said, growing quite concerned about JT's emotional state. "Oh, and I'm sure Patrick can contact your boss at the theater, so they'll know not to expect you this afternoon."

"Thanks. I'd better go back in and get my things."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, JT. If there's anything I can do here, or anything the family can do, let me know."

Simpson then put his hand on JT's shoulder, but JT backed away.

"I just need to get organized," JT said calmly.

Teacher and student then re-entered the room. Emma's eyes were focused on JT as she tried to determine what was going on.

"Is everything okay?" Melanie asked as JT returned to his computer station.

"I have to go," JT replied, with no hint of emotion. "My mother is dead."

"Not funny, JT," Melanie said, smiling.

"Shut up, Melanie," Emma spoke sharply to the dark-haired girl, though trying to remain calm. "JT…I'm sorry."

JT, having packed his bag, looked at Emma for a moment.

"I have to go," he then said quietly. After this, he walked out of the room.

"I can't believe it," Melanie said once JT had left.

"Neither can I," Patrick added. "I just talked to Mrs. Yorke the other day."

"No, I can't believe I thought JT was joking. What will he think of me?"

Ignoring this discussion, Emma grabbed her bookbag and purse and approached Snake at the front of the room.

"Archie," Emma whispered, "would it be okay if I…"

"I think that would be a good idea, Emma," the man said, knowing what she was going to ask. "I think JT's in shock right now, which is understandable. Call me if you need to."

"Thanks."

Melanie watched as Emma left to go after JT, and she grew angry.

"Why can't she leave him alone?" Melanie demanded, speaking to no one in particular. "She's always…"

"Mel," Patrick interrupted, "just let it go. Okay?"

In the student parking lot, JT got in and started his car. Before he could pull out of his space, though, Emma suddenly opened the passenger door and got in, taking JT by surprise.

"Emma…"

Emma reached around and started to hug JT, but he pulled away.

"What's going on, Emma?"

"Contrary to what your girlfriend might think," she explained, "you don't need to be by yourself right now."

"There's a lot to do," JT told her.

"Good, then I'll have plenty to keep me busy."

"Okay," JT replied, now trying to sound light-hearted. "But remember when you're yelling at me later about losing out on the Perfect Attendance Award that this was your idea."

"Don't do that, JT," Emma said.

"What?"

"Act like you're okay. Certainly not for my benefit. I am so sorry about your mom."

"There's a lot to do," JT said, remaining calm. "Let's go."

Back in the present, JT held up the other picture sitting on his desk. It was one that his mother had taken the previous year of him and Emma standing together.

"I know I should tell you," JT said, looking at Emma's face in the photograph. "I think it's been there for both of us for a long time and building. At least it has for me. Especially this year. I know you'll tell me it's wrong. That we're only supposed to be friends. But you should still know how much I'm in love with…"

JT's verbalized thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the "Ding" of the microwave. He slowly put the picture back down on the desk and then left the bedroom.

Meanwhile, at the Nelson/Simpson house, Emma had just announced her need to speak with JT.

"Wait, Emma," Courtney said in response to Emma's decision. "Talk to him about what?"

"It's time we stopped tiptoeing around the issue," Emma answered. "I'm direct about everything else in my life, so being direct with my best friend about what I feel shouldn't be as difficult as I make it out to be. Right?"

"It's about time," Spike said. "Where did this sudden burst of confidence come from?"

"Obviously it was my inspirational pep talk just now," Snake replied.

"Sorry Archie," Emma corrected him. "I was thinking and missed what you were trying to say."

Spike started laughing.

"If you'd like to repeat it though…" Emma offered.

"No, Emma," Snake said, with mock self-pity. "That's okay. I'll just wallow in the corner for awhile over the lack of appreciation from my family."

"Aw, honey, we appreciate you," Spike told him, playing along. "You're very important. Did you happen to take out the garbage yet?"

"I'll call the theater," Emma said, grabbing hold of the phone at the end of the kitchen counter.

"Emma, you shouldn't do this over the phone, especially when he's working," Courtney cautioned.

"It's okay, Courtney. I just want to see if we can meet after he gets off work."

The phone started to ring in the theater office. Patrick soon entered and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Can I speak with JT please?" Emma requested.

"Emma? Is that you?"

"Patrick? Hi. Is he around?"

"He left not too long ago," Patrick replied. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I just really need to talk to him. There's something he needs to know."

"Well, I think he was going home. Unless he stopped off somewhere to eat first."

"Okay."

Patrick then grew concerned.

"There's nothing wrong is there, Emma?" he asked.

"No," she replied. "Don't worry. In fact, I'm hoping things will soon be better than ever. I just need to reach him."

"Okay. Say, Emma, if this urgent conversation is about the topic I think it is, good luck. I know it will all work out."

"Thanks, I think."

Emma then hung up, curious about Patrick's last comment.

"Strange," she remarked. "Patrick sounded like he had an idea why I was calling, and that I wasn't making an error in judgment. I'm going to try JT at home."

At the Yorke house, JT was eating in front of the TV when the phone started ringing.

"Hello?" JT soon answered. "Hey. I wasn't expecting to hear from you. How's it going? Is it important? Okay, I guess I'll see you here in a few minutes."

At the Nelson/Simpson house, Emma hung up the phone.

"Busy signal," she explained to the others. "But that means that at least he's home. I'm going to walk over there."

"Emma, you've waited this long…why not wait until tomorrow?" Courtney asked.

"I want to talk about this with him while I still have the confidence. I might lose my nerve if I put it off any longer."

"Well, let me give you a ride."

"It's just a couple of blocks, Courtney. I'll be fine. Besides, the walk will give me time to think of exactly how I want to word everything."

"You're doing the right thing, Emma," Spike assured. "Whatever happens, your friendship will be more solid than ever with this secret desire you've been carrying now out in the open."

"Thanks, Mom. And you're right. But please, enough talk about secret desires. Oh, and just think, if all goes well, tomorrow's movie date will also be our first 'date' date."

Within a few minutes, Emma was walking down the block, sorting through conflicting thoughts.

'This is the right decision. I hope. No, it is. I'm crazy about him. I know he cares about me in the same way. At least I think he does. He wouldn't think of me as just a friend or a sister. Not really. That's just our excuse for being afraid to make a change in a good friendship. A close friendship. But how close can we continue to be if we're not being completely honest with each other? Why am I doing this again? Ow! I think I'm getting a headache.

'He broke up with Melanie back in the Spring. That has to mean something. Okay, so she was an annoying self-involved airhead. Not that I'm judging. But she wasn't right for him and he realized that. That means he's also smart enough to know I'm the one who's best for him. I think. And I haven't had another boyfriend in ages. Sure, there was that one guy I dated a few times in Grade 11, but he was beyond dull and never did seem to understand me. Nothing like what I want in a boyfriend.

'Then again, I don't know that my track record was ever all that great. There was Sean, my first boyfriend. But there's only so many times you can take back someone who always lets you down. And Chris? Yeah, he was easy to get along with, but I should have known better. Once a cheater…I still can't believe I pretended to like hip-hop just to impress him.

'Anyway, I want someone who cares about me, is kind and considerate, helpful but not controlling. Someone who's concerned about the world around us. Someone who can always make me laugh, or just stay silent and stand by my side if that's what I need. Someone who can put up with me as much as I can put up with him, even when we're driving each other crazy. Someone responsible and reliable, but with a spontaneous and fun side. And of course, being extremely attractive would be a nice bonus on top of everything else.

'Yes, JT is the one. The only one. I know this. I just have to hope that HE knows.'

Emma turned the corner. JT's was only 3 houses down. From the distance, she could see someone at his front door. Emma started walking faster to see who was there. From one house away, she saw JT open the front door and let this visitor in. Emma finally caught sight of who it was before the door shut, and a frown came over her face.

"What is Manny Santos doing here?"


	4. Red Light

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes: **I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Special thanks to those who have left comments and encouraging words regarding the story so far.

****

Chapter 4 -- Red Light

"So, Manny, can I get you something to drink?" JT asked as he turned off his TV. He was trying to sound casual, though he hadn't been quite sure what to make of Manny's request to come over to see him.

"No thanks," she replied, feeling somewhat nervous now that she was actually in the house.

"What's up?" he questioned. "You sounded so serious on the phone."

"Well, I wanted to see you. We don't talk very much anymore."

"Sure we do, Manny," he said. "We see each other all the time in school. One of us passes the other in the hallway. One says, 'Hi, how's it going?' and the other says, 'Good, how's it going with you?' then we go our separate ways and begin again the next time we pass each other."

"I'm serious, JT."

"So am I. Do you know there are starving people in India who don't have anyone to exchange smalltalk with in their hallways?"

"I mean we don't REALLY talk anymore," she continued.

"I call THIS talking, Manny. Lips moving. Tongues flapping. Did you have anything specific in mind for a topic?"

"I notice you have no trouble talking with Emma for hours on end," she said with a touch of unplanned bitterness in her tone.

"Okay, time's up," he said, frowning.

JT grabbed Manny by the arm and started to lead her to the door.

"It's been real, but now it's time to go."

"Wait," Manny said, moving her arm away from him. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"Why bring Emma into this?" he asked, annoyed.

"I tried to talk to her this afternoon," she explained. "When I asked about you, she stopped talking."

"Manny, I have this feeling the only reason you're here is because I'm not acting like a member of your fan club anymore, and you don't like that."

"That's not true, JT. Everything's changed since the miscarriage."

Manny paused briefly. Even though so many months had passed, it was still difficult for her to even say the word 'miscarriage' aloud.

"I've changed," Manny then continued. "Or at least I'm trying to. My grades are back up. As you can see, I'm back to wearing a full wardrobe, not just bits and pieces. I'm trying to be more like that person you liked in the first place."

"Okay, assuming that's all true…What do you want from me?"

"I just want us all to be close again," she replied. "I know Emma's said she's okay with me, but I also know she still thinks I'm trouble. I think if you show her that you and I can be close, she'll realize that we can all be good friends again."

"Manny, I don't tell others what to do or what to think. Emma has her own fully functioning brain and can decide for herself who her friends are."

"But your opinion does mean a lot to her, JT," she continued. "Nowadays more than ever from what I can see."

"Then you still won't like it," JT said. "What I told you after your miscarriage hasn't changed. I still care about you and wish you the best, but I think we may have too much bad history for me to be comfortable being very close to you. I like you, but we're more the acquaintance type of friends now. We can get along, but I don't think we're gonna start hanging out all the time and sharing Kodak moments."

"I guess it's good that you're still as honest as ever," she responded, disappointment evident in her voice.

"Would you rather I was bitter and angry and ignoring you?" he then asked.

"No," Manny replied. "But answer this: If Emma weren't in the picture, would you be more willing to be close friends?"

Manny moved up close to JT and pressed her body against his.

"Maybe even…very close…friends?"

"Emma doesn't tell me what to do or think either," JT quickly responded. "But if there were no Emma, it still wouldn't change how things are with you and me. Now back up some, Manuela."

Outside, Emma was pacing the sidewalk in front of JT's house. And talking to herself.

"What could she be doing here? Okay, I have a good idea what she WANTS to do here, but why would JT let her in? He must feel sorry for her. That's it. And it's not like he knew I'd show up for a visit. Unless Patrick got to him and told him I was asking for him. Maybe JT knows what I want to say to him. Maybe he hates the idea so much he's even willing to get back with Manny instead of dealing with me."

She then took a deep breath before continuing.

"But that's silly. Still, she could try to poison his mind. She's good at that. She's probably got her top off right now, trying to hypnotize him with both barrels. There goes that headache again. I should just turn around and go home. I have nothing to worry about, and I can talk to JT tomorrow. Still, why do I always have to be the levelheaded one? She's threatening to cause trouble for my…for JT. Okay, enough worrying and babbling. I'm going in."

Inside the house, meanwhile, JT tried to reassure Manny.

"Everything's going to work out fine for everyone," he said. "You'll see."

Suddenly there was a loud knocking at the door.

"Be right back," JT told her as he walked toward the door.

He was surprised to discover who was on his doorstep.

"Emma! Hello!"

"Hi JT," Emma said, hoping to sound casual as she walked on in. "I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by."

"Emma, you LIVE in the neighborhood," JT remarked.

Emma entered and saw Manny standing near the couch. She was comforted to find that at least the girl had kept her clothes on.

"Why hello there, Manny!" she said in an overly friendly tone. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Hello Emma," Manny answered, looking and feeling very uncomfortable.

"Now isn't this a wacky coincidence?" Emma asked JT and Manny. "Two old friends just showing up here unexpected late on a Friday night. I'm sure we just have oodles to talk about."

"We do?" Manny asked.

"Of course we do. Like, take that outfit you have on, Manny."

Manny looked down at it.

"Now you see," Emma continued, "that's the nice modest sort of outfit we used to see you in all the time. And you've even got a jacket on. I can only assume your usual brand of hooker-wear is at the cleaners so you're stuck going retro for the evening. No, no, that was rude of me. I really shouldn't judge. After all, we're all old friends, right? Let's sit and chat."

"Emma…" JT tried to think of something to say.

"No," Emma stopped him. "This is great. All three of us in the same place at the same time…it's like a reunion."

Emma and Manny chose to sit on opposite ends of the couch while JT took a seat in a nearby chair.

"So," Emma said, still using a sarcastic, overly polite tone, "too bad I couldn't stay and talk to you at school this afternoon, Manny. Maybe we could have planned this trip together and carpooled over here. But then you did try to talk to me about JT today, so it was my own fault I didn't stick around to listen."

Emma slapped the back of her other hand.

"Shame on me for rushing off," Emma continued. "But the important thing is we're all together now. So tell us Manny…what brings you by? Was your tongue feeling needy for an orifice you could shove it into, and JT was the first person you thought could help out?"

There was then a long silence with Emma glaring, Manny trying not to cry and JT looking up at the ceiling, uncertain how he found himself in the middle of this situation. His thoughts were soon cut short by another knock at the door.

"Thank God," JT said reflexively. "Uh, I mean…I'll get it."

JT stood up and quickly went to answer the door.

"Hey JT."

It was Patrick. JT eagerly let him in, hoping a new presence would lessen the tension in the room.

"Enter at your own risk," JT cautioned the new arrival.

"I was on my way home," Patrick explained, standing just inside the house, "but wanted to stop by and let you know Emma phoned for you. Probably not that long after you took off."

Patrick walked further inside and noticed Emma and Manny sitting in the living room.

"Oh. Hi Emma."

Emma responded with a slight wave.

"And…hi Manny."

"Hi," Manny answered.

"This can't be good," Patrick then said to JT.

"There's an understatement," JT replied.

"Just so you know, Emma," Manny suddenly spoke up, "you're wrong."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you said we were both unexpected guests, but I called and JT said I could come over."

Emma was surprised to hear this, but didn't want to appear upset.

"Oh. I see. Well then I apologize, Manny. Clearly JT wants you here and it's not my place to say anything one way or the other. I'm sorry I interrupted."

"Emma, don't get upset," JT said, trying to help. "You know you're always welcome here."

"I just need to call first," Emma added, getting up from the couch. "It's okay. I get it. I did try to call, you know. The line was busy. That must have been when you and Manny were on the phone planning this…get-together."

"Emma, how about you tell JT that thing that you wanted to tell him," Patrick urged.

"I should just get out of here," Emma continued, not taking Patrick's advice. "That would probably be the best thing to do right now."

"Emma," Manny interjected, also standing up, "I came here to talk about you, me and JT. To see if we could get our three-way friendship back."

"Oh, now I get it, Manny," Emma responded. "You didn't come over to have sex; you just wanted to talk about me behind my back. Why didn't you say so? I feel much better now."

"Everything's okay, Emma," JT said. "I promise."

"Nothing is going on between us, Emma," Manny reluctantly explained as she looked over at the young man. "Now…or ever again. JT and I are just old friends. Acquaintances. The kind who say 'Hi' when they see each other, but who don't get too involved with each other's lives."

"I see," Emma responded, growing calmer.

"Emma, can I talk to you in the kitchen?" JT then requested.

Before Emma could respond, there was yet another knock at the door.

"What now? Pat, could you get that?"

"No problem, JT."

JT and Emma went into the kitchen. Once they were gone, Patrick answered the door.

"Liberty!" he greeted. "Hey."

"Hello, Patrick," she responded in a friendly but still quite formal tone. "No time for further pleasantries. Where's JT?"

"Uh, he'll be out in a minute."

Liberty walked right in without hesitation.

"Sure, why don't you come on in and wait?" Patrick asked sarcastically.

Once in the living room, Liberty and Manny found themselves face to face with one another.

"Liberty," Manny greeted, her voice somewhat hostile.

"Manny…how interesting to see you here," Liberty replied, equally annoyed.

"Just here for a friendly visit," Manny explained.

"Of course," Liberty said coldly.

"And you?" Manny then asked. "I thought you and JT were just friends as well. That you gave up stalking him and found your own boyfriend."

"Roger is sick," Liberty said of her boyfriend.

"Of you?" Manny questioned snidely. "I'm surprised it took this long."

"Sick at home with a cold, Manny. So since he's not feeling well, I'm taking care of some school business while I have the extra time. I see nothing wrong with visiting a friend at this time of day when there's business to attend to. Now, I can't imagine what kind of business YOU'D have here at this late hour, though since Patrick is here, I'm assuming it's not the business you were hoping to take care of with JT tonight."

"If I'd known things would get this interesting," Patrick commented, "I'd have brought along some popcorn from work."

In the kitchen, meanwhile, JT and Emma were standing near the sink.

"So you see, Emma," JT told her, "that's all there was to it. We all used to be friends, and we all still have to see each other sometimes. We just need to keep getting along as best we can when Manny runs into one of us. Okay, so tonight wasn't exactly an award-winning show of friendliness, but otherwise things have been going okay with Manny up to now and will keep being okay. Yeah, she hoped we could all be real close again, but she sees that we can all still be friends without going back to being best friends."

"I suppose that makes sense," Emma admitted.

She didn't say so to JT, but she was very relieved to realize that Manny hadn't seduced him.

"Emma, you seem kind of agitated tonight. You're not mad at me are you? I know it must have been a surprise for you to see Manny here. I wasn't sure why she wanted to come over, either. But I couldn't turn her away without knowing what she wanted, could I?"

"I guess not," Emma answered, now smiling.

"A smile…good," he then said, noticing her changed expression. "Of course, it's a known fact that Emma Nelson can never stay mad at JT Yorke for more than a few minutes at a time. You might give me the Evil Eye for what seems like forever. But mad? Nah."

"Notice how I'm letting that one go, since I was in the wrong tonight?" she kidded.

"Yeah, Emma. You're…perfect."

JT looked into Emma's eyes and then leaned in prepared to kiss her.

"JT!" Patrick's voice interrupted from the living room. "I think you'd better get out here."

JT, disappointed, still managed a smile.

"You know, Emma, I never did like him."

The couple then walked back into the living room and found Liberty and Manny standing only inches apart, staring daggers at one another.

"Liberty?" JT called out, surprised to see her.

"She says she's here on business," Patrick explained.

"The Yorke living room…crossroads to all of Degrassi," JT joked.

JT went over and tapped Liberty on the shoulder.

"Yoo-hoo! Liberty! Something I can do for you?"

Liberty finally turned away from Manny and toward JT.

"Oh. Hello there, JT," she said. "I wanted to see if you have the theater's ad layout ready that you want to use for the next issue of The Grapevine."

"That's all?" he teased. "Nothing of a romantic nature?"

"You know that's all in the past," Liberty replied. "Friends only. And this is more a business call than a social one."

"Bless you! Though looking at you and Manny when I walked in…"

"We were just reminding ourselves why we've never been close," Manny interrupted.

While JT tried to keep the peace between Liberty and Manny, Patrick walked toward Emma and stood beside her.

"Did you get to tell him what you came here to say?" Patrick quietly asked Emma.

"You seen awfully sure you know what that is," she answered.

"Knowing the two of you like I do, I think my hunch can't be too far off."

JT then turned toward Patrick and Emma.

"Did I miss something?" he asked. "Oh that's right. I'm sorry, Emma. Pat said you'd called me at work, and you obviously came over here to tell me what it was you'd called about. But in all the craziness, I haven't asked you about it. What is it you wanted to say?"

'Oh great,' Emma thought to herself. 'You want me to confess to you what I've wanted to say for so long…right here? In the middle of all this? This is not how I wanted to tell you about my feelings. Not with Manny here, especially since I'm not exactly sure you feel the same way. Okay, so you DID look like you were about to kiss me in the kitchen. But maybe you were just going for a friendly peck on the cheek, or even the forehead.'

"Emma?" JT called out. "You okay?"

Emma looked at JT, then over at Manny and Liberty. Both girls looked back at her, curiosity in their eyes. Then Emma saw Patrick, who somehow seemed to know just what she wanted to say and who was nodding to her to go ahead. She grew nervous and started leaning back and forth on one foot and then the other.

"Oh!" she finally said, once again looking at JT. "Yes. The phone call. This little visit. Well…it's…"

After further hesitation, Emma sighed and continued. She couldn't say what she really wanted to say to JT. Not right now. But she felt she had to come up with something. Anything.

"It's nothing, really. I just felt I should tell you that…Um. I…You…After our movie date…no, outing…movie OUTING…tomorrow afternoon, I…well, I won't be able to have dinner with you that evening as usual, JT. You see…"

Emma then looked again toward Patrick.

"Patrick!" she suddenly exclaimed "Yes. Patrick and I…are going out…on a date…to eat…at a restaurant…where they keep all the food."

JT's eyes widened in surprise, as did Patrick's.

"We are?" Patrick asked, shocked.

Emma looked at Patrick, panic-stricken. Seeing the desperate look in her eyes, Patrick decided to confirm her statement.

"That's…um…right. We are."

"Well…I had no idea the two of you were dating," JT said.

"Neither did I," Patrick quickly replied. "Err, I mean, this is our first date. Kinda sudden. Just one of those things. But hey, we figured, what the hell, right?"

"Yeah," JT said, confused. "What the hell. Well…Okay then…Have a…Have a good time, you two."

"Thanks, JT," Emma said. "Don't worry, though. I won't be late for the movies."

'What am I saying?' Emma thought.

'What on earth is she doing?' Patrick similarly wondered to himself. 'Think fast, Patrick. Can't let her miss her shot with JT. Or his with her.'

"Patrick, you're looking kinda pale," Manny said. "Most guys don't look that miserable until AFTER they've gone out with Emma."

"Manny!" JT reprimanded.

"Just kidding."

"Uh…JT," Patrick started, an idea forming in his mind, "it's too bad you don't have a date tomorrow, too. We could double."

This time Emma's eyes widened.

'Something's not right,' JT started thinking. 'Emma's hiding something. Pat seems to know, and it doesn't look like it has anything to do with some dinner date. He's even giving me a chance to find out what's going on. So I'm not about to pass this up. God help me, here we go.'

"You're right, Pat," JT said, with false confidence. "Say, Liberty, do you have plans for tomorrow night?"

Liberty, for the first time in her life, was speechless.

"Liberty?" JT prompted.

"Me?" she finally uttered. "Uh…well…"

"Good," JT said. "Pat, we can double with you and Emma. If that's okay with you of course, Emma."

'Okay,' Emma thought, 'I know I've lost my mind, but what's HE doing?'

"Emma?"

"Um, sure, JT. No problem."

"Good," JT responded. "Now Liberty, I know you have a boyfriend. But he won't mind doing without you this once will he?"

"Boyfriend?" Liberty repeated, still in shock.

"I think JT's referring to Sick Roger," Manny offered.

"Who?" Liberty asked. "Oh…Roger…right."

"Fantastic!" JT exclaimed. "And to be sure he won't get upset, just tell him it's a business dinner. I'll bring the paperwork about the ad and we can talk business while the two potential lovebirds over there get better acquainted."

"Business? Yes…business. Okay. I suppose I could do that."

"Great, then it's a date, Liberty. So to speak. Now, Pat and Liberty…the pair of movies will let out at around 7:00. So Emma and I will meet the two of you in front of the theater at that time, then we can all go to the restaurant together. Emma, I think you should pick the place. You always know…exactly…what everyone wants. Now, not to be rude, but Manny and I do have more things to discuss."

"We do?" Manny asked, surprised.

"You do?" Emma asked, equally surprised.

"Of course. So if the three of you could excuse us…"

"Sure thing," Patrick said. "I'll see you tomorrow, JT."

'This better work,' Patrick thought.

"Good night, JT," Liberty said, following Patrick out the door.

'JT asked me out?' Liberty thought. 'What am I missing here? Why did he ask me? Does the reason even matter?'

"Until tomorrow?" Emma asked, looking at JT.

'I'm either the biggest coward in the world or the biggest idiot,' Emma thought. 'Maybe it's a tie.'

"It's a date," JT replied. "Oops! Don't worry. Ours is just a movie date. Your evening with Patrick is the only date that will really matter to you. See you all tomorrow."

With that, Emma left. Now that all three of them were gone, JT shut the door, leaving just him and Manny. Feeling extremely discouraged, JT then took a deep breath and looked over at Manny.

"Help."


	5. Damage Control

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks for your continued interest. I appreciate the comments and encouragement I've received so far.

****

Chapter 5 -- Damage Control

Emma, Liberty and Patrick now stood outside the Yorke house.

"That was unusual," Liberty observed, breaking the silence.

"Never has so much crap spread so quickly in one room," Patrick commented. "And not a shovel in sight. Emma, what's the matter with you?"

"Patrick," Emma began, trying not to get upset, "I'm so sorry I got you mixed up in all of this, but JT heard us talking and wanted to know what I was there to tell him, so I had to say something and…"

"And with all of us hovering, you panicked and couldn't tell JT the truth," Patrick correctly reasoned. "It's okay. You startled me. But no permanent damage. I'm also hoping that by getting JT to come along tomorrow night, there's no permanent damage for the two of you either."

"So you two don't want to go on this date together tomorrow?" Liberty asked.

"Absolutely not," Emma answered quickly. "Oh, no offense, Patrick."

"Then you really do want to be with JT?"

"Liberty, how did you know that…" Emma started to ask, but then caught herself. "Err, I mean, how could you know? Or rather…me and JT? What makes you think I want to be with JT?"

Liberty rolled her eyes and then responded.

"A) It's looked obvious for a long time to anyone who's paid the slightest attention to either one of you. B) You looked miserable in there lying to JT about deciding to date Patrick. And C) I'm not an idiot, Emma. JT was so shocked when you said what you said, I think he panicked and accepted Patrick's prodding to turn your evening into a double date. That's where I fit in."

Emma was surprised by Liberty's words. She hadn't realized that her feelings had been so easy to read.

"Liberty, maybe…maybe JT just really wants to date you."

"Hello, Emma. Are you new here?" Liberty responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yes, okay, he took me by surprise by asking me out. A part of me is thrilled that after all these years he asked me on a date…without my having to blackmail him or force him into it.

"But the grown-up me knows that he knows something's wrong with your story. Emma, you're a miserable liar to begin with, and you couldn't convincingly lie to JT to save your life. He knows something is not as it should be, and he needed a way to stay in the picture tomorrow to figure out what's going on."

"No offense," Emma then said, "but if that's true, he could have asked Manny. She was standing there, too."

"Emma, even for a fake date, I doubt he wants it to be with someone who's already broken his heart several times. I'm a safe friend. One who's happy to help him but isn't going to get the wrong idea."

"If you say so, Liberty. I…just can't think about this right now. Tonight I was going to finally tell him what I thought, but maybe it's better that I didn't. No matter what he may suspect, I'm sure he still doesn't know what I really think, so he doesn't have to worry about telling me I'm crazy for thinking of him in a more than friendly way. Tomorrow will be like any other Saturday with JT…just with a fake double date added to the mix. I'm going home."

"Wait, can I give you a ride?" Patrick asked.

"No, I just want to be by myself. Oh, and Patrick, I know JT said I should pick a restaurant, but…"

"I'll take care of everything," he promised her. "Don't worry about a thing."

"Don't worry?" she repeated. "That's funny. Good night you two."

Emma then walked off into the night.

"Idiots!" Patrick exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" Liberty asked, starting to look offended.

"Not you," he quickly clarified. "Her. Him. Both of them. They're crazy about each other but neither one wants to jeopardize their friendship by telling the truth about what they really want. And now look what's happened."

"Dinner for four," she answered, "with an extra helping of tension."

"Liberty, do you have time to go get some coffee?"

"I suppose. Why?"

"I have a feeling if we leave things up to them, they'll never get it right. I came up with this ridiculous double date idea, so I think the two of us should talk strategy for how we're going to handle it."

"I don't know, Patrick," she said, feeling uncomfortable about his suggestion. "I don't like the idea of meddling in my friends' business."

"That's perfectly reasonable, Liberty," he responded. "Just remember one thing."

"What's that?"

"At the moment, JT's probably doubting whether he'll ever have a chance with Emma. And Manny's still inside with him. I'm sure she's more than ready to provide him all the comfort she thinks he'll need if she believes she now has another shot."

Such a notion was all Liberty needed to hear.

"On second thought, Patrick, coffee and strategy sounds like a VERY good idea. Let's go."

As the pair prepared to leave, Emma slowly walked back to her house with many thoughts running through her head.

'Well, I think I just messed up any chance of being with JT. Bad enough I didn't get to talk to him about things when we were alone, but then I freak when we're back in the living room with the others and make up that stupid date announcement. He must be mad at me AND Patrick. Or maybe it's worse and it didn't bother him at all.

'But why would he then agree to double and invite Liberty? Does he really see that it was just my lousy excuse to stall for more time? So that I could tell him the truth without a lot of people – especially Manny – watching. But what if he doesn't get it?

'Well, if he really doesn't care that I would go out with someone else, especially after this last year, then I'll have to show him that I don't care if he wants to date Liberty. I'll make sure JT can't see that he's the one I truly want by my side at the restaurant.'

Back inside the Yorke house, meanwhile, Manny sat on the couch watching JT pace back and forth.

"JT, you're going to wear a hole in the carpet," she commented.

"What?"

"I know what you said earlier," she continued, "but relax and talk to me."

JT stopped pacing and sat down beside Manny on the couch.

"Why would she walk over here tonight just to talk about her dating plans?" JT asked, confused. "That's not urgent news. It doesn't make sense. Why not e-mail me if she couldn't get me on the phone?"

"Look at it this way," Manny said, "if Emma hadn't come over, we'd have missed another glimpse of her 'charming' personality in action…Sorry."

"It's okay, Manny. She WAS a little rude to you."

"Thanks for setting her straight in the kitchen, JT."

"Uh…sure. No problem."

Manny could tell by the look on JT's face that there was more to this than she knew.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Oh, I explained the situation," JT replied, "but then I started to kiss her."

"Started to?"

"Pat interrupted so that I could help end the glare-athon between you and Liberty."

"Sorry," she said, genuinely apologetic.

"I'm not sure what Emma was going to say," JT admitted, "but I really don't think she was going to go out with Pat. But then I tried to kiss her, and I guess she was so disgusted with the idea that she came up with this whole after-movie date with him to get me to back off."

"If she HAD kissed you, she'd know better than to run off," Manny said, smiling at the memory of past kisses she'd shared with JT.

"Pat was just saying earlier tonight that I should tell her I want us to be a couple. He wouldn't have done that if he had any plans of his own to date her. Emma's just looking for any excuse to avoid dealing with the obvious fact that I'm in love with her. And…"

"Wait," Manny stopped him. His feelings for Emma didn't come as a surprise to her at this point, but she hadn't expected him to admit it out loud, especially to her. "Back up, JT. So…it's true? You really are in love with her?"

"Yeah," JT replied without hesitation. "I am. Not that it matters now."

"Because you think she's looking for an excuse to avoid dealing?"

"Looks that way, Manny."

Manny knew this was wrong, even if JT couldn't see it.

"Of course," Manny said sarcastically. "You're absolutely right, JT. She can't deal with you. And that's why she's still going to spend several hours alone with you in a dark room tomorrow before the double date. What a perfect way to avoid you."

"Hey, I didn't say it made any sense," he argued.

"Look, JT, I've stopped trying to figure out what goes on in Emma's head. I don't know what she was going to say for sure either, but I think she would have said whatever it really was if only so many people weren't standing around to hear it."

"You're saying…?"

"That she froze," Manny explained. "I could tell by looking at her that she was trying to back out of this corner she thought she was in. I'm betting she's as crazy about you as you are about her. The problem with being crazy for each other is that you're both already just plain crazy."

"Okay Manny. She may feel that way about me or she may not, but either way I'm calling her bluff. Thus, the double date with Liberty. Emma will see that if she can do whatever she wants – even if she doesn't really want it – then so can I."

"Yeah, you're both crazy all right," Manny observed.

"Lunatics in love?" JT offered. "Throw in some Siamese twins and we could all go on a talk show."

They both laughed at JT's comments.

"Okay, Goofy," Manny then said. "So update me. When did you fall in love with Emma? It's looked obvious to me for awhile, but when did you start to notice?"

"We've always been good friends," JT replied.

"Yeah, but there's something different. You've seemed closer than ever. More than good friends, now it's like you're these two star-crossed lovers."

"I was thinking we were more like Laurel & Hardy," he joked.

Manny frowned.

"Heckle & Jeckle?" he tried again. "Okay. I'll be serious. Yeah, as close as we've always been, we've…gotten even closer in the last couple years."

"No! Really? You don't say!" Manny said sarcastically, but with a smile on her face.

"And then she was a big help to me back in April," JT added.

"You mean after what happened to your mom?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "After she died. Then on top of that, I broke up with Melanie soon after."

"Toby moved out of town that same month, didn't he?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. That was around the first of the month, a couple weeks before everything else."

"I guess it didn't help having one of your closest friends gone when you were going through so much."

"Toby and I hadn't exactly been best friends in awhile," JT explained. "Friendships can grow apart. But yeah, it would have been nice if he'd still been around. But not all friendships grow apart. That's never happened with Emma and me. With us, it's been just the opposite."

"I was so sorry about your mother," Manny said. "I remember wanting to say something. Do something. But you and I were keeping our distance mostly. And Emma's always been protective of you, but she seemed to go into ultra-protector mode at that time."

"At least you came to the funeral," JT told her. "I appreciated that. Hey, even people I didn't feel very close to showed up to pay respects. Craig in particular surprised me. You know he'd lost his mom years ago. Anyway, Craig urged me to seek him out if I ever wanted to talk. Our situations were a lot different, but loss is loss, right? We talked a few times after that and now we've actually become friends, believe it or not. And my father, well, he came back into town the night before the funeral, but had to leave again after the burial and before the reception at Emma's."

"I'm sorry JT, but I have to say I think that was horrible for your father to leave and go back to work like that."

"I could handle it," he assured. "It's not like I wanted to be around him. Or anyone really."

"But Emma?"

"You know Emma," JT smiled. "She'll take care of you whether you like it or not. And the more you try to fight it, the more she's sure she's doing the right thing."

"I remember," Manny agreed, "though it's been ages since me and her had such a good friendship."

"She was amazing," he said.

There was a pause, and Manny noticed the big grin on JT's face.

"And she's still amazing, Manny. The best person I know."

JT then stopped smiling.

"But whether she wants to date Pat or just wants me to think she wants to date Pat, there's something she's not telling me and I'm not going to give her the satisfaction of seeing how much that bothers me. I will continue to be the perfect friend and show her I can have a good time out on a double date with her…even though I'd give anything if she was going on that date with me instead of with Pat."

"JT, I know I'm not one to talk, but why not try a little honesty? Call her and figure out together who really thinks what."

"Honesty?" he questioned. "That would indeed be the mature thing to do. It would never work."

"Silly me…Well, it's getting late. I think I'd better go now."

They both stood and JT walked Manny to the door.

"Manny?"

"Yeah JT?"

"This talking thing we're doing now…This is nice."

"JT, you don't have to say…"

"No," he interrupted. "I was wrong before. It's good to talk to you again. I forgot how comfortable it is. I still can't make Emma change her attitude about you…and maybe not about anything anymore. But I think you and I could be friends again, Manny. SHOULD be friends again. Real friends."

Manny started to smile.

"Now see, JT, wasn't that simple enough? My diabolical plan worked just as I hoped! Kidding."

They both laughed.

"Thanks for giving this…us…another shot at friendship," she then said as JT opened the door. "Let me know how things work out tomorrow."

"I will," he promised.

Manny walked out the door, but then called back to him.

"Goodnight, JT. And BE HONEST WITH HER!"

"You and your crazy ideas," JT joked.

Later on, Liberty and Patrick shared a booth at Ryan's Grille.

"It's a crazy idea," Liberty determined upon hearing his plan. "I still say if we could just get them together and say something like 'Emma, meet JT. He's obviously in love with you. And wake up, JT. This girl Emma is clearly in love with you, as well,' then maybe it could be easy."

"Just remember who we're dealing with, Liberty. Those two never seem to do anything the easy way, even when it's what they both want. No, we have to convince them they can tell one another the truth…without it looking like we're trying to make them do something."

"True. But won't they be upset with us?"

"They'll be mad as hell," he answered confidently. "But it's for their own good. Besides, if everything goes how we expect it to, they'll be thanking us soon enough."


	6. I Will Be Your Friend

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The flashback in this chapter takes place days after JT's memories seen in Chapter 3. Unlike the flashbacks in Chapters 2 (Emma's) and 3 (JT's), this one is not seen from any one particular character's point of view or memory. Thanks for the comments and reviews of Chapter 5. And, as always, I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

****

Chapter 6 -- I Will Be Your Friend

Six months earlier – in late April – the Nelson/Simpson house was the setting for the reception following Mrs. Jillian Yorke's funeral and burial. Late in the afternoon, the gathering was starting to wind down.

JT, emotionally distant since learning of his mother's death, had said very little on this day except when necessary. As the remaining guests chatted in various parts of the living room, JT stood at the bar. Emma was beside him, having been by his side for the entire day.

"That was a nice service, don't you think?" Emma asked JT.

"Yeah," he replied simply.

"So many people had such nice things to say."

"Yeah."

"And you look so nice," she added.

"Maybe more people should die and I'll get to wear this suit more often."

"JT, that's not how I meant…"

JT then looked at Emma. He hadn't intended for his words to come out sounding cold, especially not towards her.

"I know. Sorry, Emma."

"Don't worry about it," she said.

Emma understood that JT wasn't angry. However, she almost wished he was, because she believed that would be better than having him continue to bottle things up inside. This was something she wasn't used to seeing him do. At least not around her.

Melanie, JT's girlfriend at the time, soon approached the pair.

"Hey gang!" Melanie said with an inappropriate level of enthusiasm. "Nice party. I mean, it's too bad WHY we're having it, but it's still turned out great. Emma, your mother is a surprisingly good cook."

"Yes, she's done a great job," Emma said.

Emma was determined not to lose her temper with the girl. Though just looking at Melanie's appearance on this day, she couldn't help but feel hostile.

"You're looking nice as always, Melanie," Emma said sarcastically, "red being SUCH an appropriate color to wear on this occasion."

"I know one should wear black," Melanie explained, "but I just don't look good in black."

"No, not YOU!" Emma pretended to sound shocked.

"It's true," Melanie assured, not catching on to Emma's sarcasm. "And I wanted to look extra nice for JT today. Do you like it, JT?"

"It's very…you," JT replied.

"See Emma? I knew he'd love it. So JT, how about we go do something later?"

"Melanie…" Emma cautioned.

"No, it'll be great," the dark-haired girl interrupted. "JT, you and I could go to the mall, check out some new CDs, maybe grab a couple of hot dogs…"

"Melanie, what's the matter with you?" Emma's voice grew louder, though she still wasn't yelling. "Do you really think it's appropriate to plan a date with JT for the evening after he buried his mother?"

"You see, JT?" Melanie asked, growing angry. "Miss Perfect thinks she knows everything, as usual. Trust me, what you need is a break from all of this. Get outside and do something to take your mind off everything."

"He doesn't need that at all," Emma shot back. "Especially not right now."

"JT, tell Emma thanks for the use of her home but you don't need any more help from her."

Emma's mother, having noticed the tension from nearby, approached.

"JT, can I do anything for you?" Spike asked. "You haven't eaten anything."

"No, Mrs. N. Thanks. For all of this."

"I'm glad to help out," she replied. "Though I have to say much of the credit should go to Emma. I'm sorry your dad had to rush off and couldn't join us."

"Well, it's like he said – 'Business doesn't stop just because we have personal problems.'"

Spike had some strong opinions regarding JT's father's attitude, but kept them to herself.

"That's…certainly one way to look at things," she said, trying to be diplomatic. "Listen, JT, I talked with Snake and Emma earlier. You don't have any other relatives living in town, and you shouldn't have to go right back to an empty house. We'd like you to stay here for a day or two. The couch isn't too uncomfortable as a bed…and you'll probably find a fortune in spare change if you look between the cushions long enough."

"I don't know," JT hesitated.

"Just think about it," Spike urged. "You're practically family to us, and we'd really like you to stick around for awhile."

Spike then hugged JT briefly, but he remained completely still.

"Let me know if you need anything," she said before going into the kitchen.

"Or you could always come stay with me," Melanie suggested once Spike was gone. "My bed would fit the both of us nicely."

"Could you be any more vulgar, Melanie?" Emma asked.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Melanie claimed.

"I'm sure we know exactly how you meant it," Emma argued.

"Stop," JT interrupted.

"She started it," Melanie protested.

"Wow, you're a real beacon of maturity aren't you, Melanie," Emma responded.

"Just stop," JT again said. "Melanie, I don't want to go on any date tonight. And I don't think sharing a bed with you is a good idea."

Melanie hated how, once again, JT seemed to be taking Emma's side over her.

"I see," she said. "Well fine. Stay here then, JT. I'm sure you won't complain at all when Emma puts you in HER bed. It's obvious she wants to."

"I don't feel like arguing, Melanie," JT said wearily. "Would you just leave me alone?"

"Alone meaning alone with Emma?" Melanie continued to argue. "Fine. Just remember…to Emma, you're not a friend, a lover or anything else. Just her latest project. She knows she can't save every tree, but she'll sure try to save you. Then when she's done – or bored – she'll move on. We all know she doesn't like being around people she can't feel superior to for very long. So she takes someone she thinks is defective, mends his wings – or tries to – then gets bored with her creation and throws him away like trash."

JT closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Once he re-opened them, he started to speak in a calm manner.

"Okay, Melanie. We're done here. You…leave."

"What?" Melanie looked shocked while Emma tried not to appear overly happy.

"I won't ask you to apologize to Emma because I see you could never have a genuinely nice thought about someone who's not agreeing with everything you say or keeping you entertained 24/7. But you and me? I'm burying that today as well."

"I know you don't mean that, JT," she reasoned.

"I've never been more serious," he said with confidence.

With nothing more to say, Melanie quickly stormed out of the house in a huff. Emma then tried to hug JT, but he backed away.

"She WAS right about one thing, Emma," JT admitted. "I need to get outside for awhile. Get some air."

"I can help with that," she said.

Emma led JT through the kitchen and out the back door while signaling to her mother that she was going to try once again to get through to him. The two friends stepped outside, with Emma shutting the door behind them. Things were quiet for a few moments, and Emma noticed that JT looked a little unsteady on his feet.

"I'm so tired," he finally said.

"I doubt you've gotten much sleep, if any, in the last couple of days. Don't worry. It's going to be okay. Just lean on me a little. All right?"

Emma tried to hold JT's hand but he wouldn't let her.

"She wanted me to go with her on that trip, my mother. Did I tell you that, Emma?"

"No."

"But she understood that I wouldn't, because I didn't want to miss out on my Saturday with…well, she knew I had my reasons. Maybe if I'd agreed to go, I would have been at the bank with her and could have done something. Changed things."

"JT, don't say that."

For the first time since JT learned of his mother's death, tears started to form in his eyes.

"The funeral's over. The work is done. Now I don't know what to do."

"I know, JT, and that's okay."

Emma again started to make contact with him. He, in turn, again tried to resist as she began to hug him. This time, though, she wasn't letting go of him. Soon he gave in to the hug and held tightly to her.

"I promise you," she said softly, "everything's going to be okay. YOU are going to be okay."

"I was no good for her, Emma, and now she's dead."

"Listen to me, Jamie. You couldn't stop what happened at that bank. God, if you had been there too, you both…"

Emma's eyes now became watery as well.

"…I can't even bring myself to think it. I may be the most selfish person in the world, but I am SO glad you weren't in that bank, too. But I also know that your mom would act in the same way, even with you there. She's a hero for what she did for that family. Think of her that way."

"Everything's so screwed up, Emma, and I can't fix it. Look at my father. Wait, you can't. He's not here. He can't stay in town more than a few hours without wanting to get away. Even today. And I obviously couldn't make things with Melanie work. I never could help Manny. And now you're too busy helping me. Always giving, and never getting. You deserve a better friend."

Emma stepped back, wiped the tears from her face and looked at JT, smiling.

"Do you know how aggravating you are, Jamie? Those old girlfriends were just temporary. I remember one time when I was at your house. You were off getting something from your bedroom. Your mom told me she had a feeling about the girls you dated. She called them placeholders; stand-ins until you finally find the one person you deserve. I have an idea what she meant."

Emma teared up again. She knew that she had always been his mother's ideal choice for JT. It was an attitude Emma had gradually begun to see the merit in.

"Whoever this 'right girl' is, she's out there. Maybe closer than you know. Now as for your dad, he's a workaholic. It means that sometimes he'll do something incredibly stupid like he did today by taking off. But that's his problem, not yours. And as for me, if you think you can EVER get rid of me, you're goofier than I ever thought possible. No such luck. Friends forever, Jamie. Remember?"

"But…"

"No buts, Mister," Emma interrupted before he could protest. "Look, if you think you don't have a positive effect on me, you're nuts. You help me out all the time. You've been here through everything from runaway dogs to numerous boyfriend disasters to helping convince people I'm not crazy just because I'd rather go to a protest rally than a concert.

"Jamie, don't think that I don't know you've been the reason some of my own demonstrations have had such good turnouts. You have a way of charming people into doing things they'd otherwise never dream of doing. Sometimes you've been the only one who gets why I want to fight these causes, even when you start to think I've lost it. You're also a good enough friend to come right out and tell me when I've lost it."

"I don't know," JT said.

"Hey, you've even taught me how to appreciate all different types of humor," she continued. "Not just with the 1 or 2 movies each Saturday. You can say the funniest things, then turn around and do the stupidest routine using a gummy bear, two toothpicks and some ketchup, yet have me laughing at both kinds of joking…often against my better judgment. Are you needed? Yes. Could I find a better friend? I can't imagine where."

JT finally smiled, causing Emma to smile again.

"And you already know all of this," she added. "Your mind is just out of whack today…with good reason."

Once Emma was finished, there was a moment when neither said anything.

"Sorry about Melanie," JT eventually said, breaking the silence.

"Don't apologize for her, JT. I never really did like her."

At this, he laughed slightly.

"Emma, I don't think you've ever liked any of my girlfriends."

"Hey, can I help it if none of them are right for you?" Emma responded. "I'm your best friend. I'm picky. So sue me. And I DID like Manny…okay, not so much by the time you two were actually dating, but I still like her more than the others. Look, I won't say I'm sad you broke up with Melanie, but I hate that she forced you to do it on today of all days."

"It's okay," he promised.

"Say, how did you like the flower arrangement the class bought?" she then asked, changing the subject. "That's the one thing I didn't get to help with. Liberty said I was doing everything else, so she wanted to take charge of getting some flowers and taking up the collection."

"Then I should have thanked her earlier," JT said.

"It's all right. You can talk to her a little later. She hasn't left. Hey, I noticed that Manny was at the funeral."

"I saw."

"I hope it didn't bother you, her being there."

"No," he replied. "I'm over her now. Completely. Nice that she put in an appearance, though."

"So, are you going to take us up on our offer and spend a couple days with us?" Emma questioned.

"Too much trouble," he replied.

"Of course not."

"Emma, I need to get used to being alone."

"Being alone? Never. Living alone? Maybe some of the time, but you certainly don't need to do that today. You'll always have me…that is, me and a lot of good people who care about you. Being the guy who entertains everyone in school has made you a lot of friends. Annoyed a lot of people, but made you a lot of friends, too."

They both laughed.

"Thanks, Emma," JT said as he wiped his eyes. "For putting up with me. For everything."

"Anytime. Just let me know next time you start feeling down about all those things again. I don't want you getting depressed."

"I promise."

"Good. Now, I'll ask just one last time, JT. Will you stay at my house for a couple days? Or do I have to camp out on your front lawn to make sure you're not inside all by yourself when you could be staying with people who care about you?"

"You wouldn't…"

Emma simply stared at him.

"You would," JT admitted. "So…how are you at cooking breakfast?"

"I can pour cereal with the best of them. Anything else and you'll want to call the fire department."

"How can I pass up an offer like that?" he teased.

"You can't."

"Then let's stop by my house later and grab a few things I'll need."

"Finally, you're talking sense again," Emma said, relieved that she was finally able to provide some level of comfort to her best friend.

"Emma, before we go back inside, I just wanted to tell you…"

"Yes?"

"Emma, I love…talking…to you."

Emma then grabbed JT's hand, still looking at him.

"I love…talking to you, too, JT."

Each felt as though their relationship was somehow deepening even further. Each wondered if the other was having similar thoughts. Each also knew that this was something better left for another day, if indeed it should be dealt with at all.

"I can't stop thinking about that shooting," he remarked. "Picturing what it must have looked like. Sometimes I think my mind is going to explode."

"I know, JT. It's not a helpful solution, but you just have to give it time. It's only been a few days. Just know that I'm going to be here to help, however I can."

"I know," he said, confident in this knowledge.

"We don't have to hurry back in if you're not ready," Emma suggested.

"But all the people in there…"

"…Aren't expecting you to entertain them," she assured. "We can stay out here as long as you want."

"I'd like that, Emma."

Soon, the two would go back inside. JT would express his gratitude to Liberty. Emma would finally convince JT to eat. But for the time being, the pair sat outside on the steps…still holding hands. Whatever the future had in store, they knew their friendship could see them through anything.

**Next Chapter** – Back to the present. It's Saturday and the double date is looming.


	7. One

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** With this chapter, it's back to the present. Glad everyone has been enjoying the journey so far and posting thoughts and comments. As always, I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

****

Chapter 7 -- One

The Movie Difference was a small theater located only a short distance from Degrassi Community School. It housed two screens. One of those was reserved on Saturday afternoons and evenings for old comedies.

On this particular Saturday, assistant manager JT – done working for the day – sat inside this room in his usual aisle seat. The place wasn't packed with people, but there were – as always for the classics features – enough kids, families and senior citizens filling the room to help keep the low-maintenance establishment going. Emma soon entered and took her usual seat beside JT.

"Hey Emma," he greeted.

JT had always been glad to see Emma, but he noticed that, more and more, the highlight of each day had become the time he spent with her. Still, with a double date planned for later in the evening that he wasn't looking forward to, JT was determined to keep his growing feelings for his best friend to himself.

"Hi JT," she answered him in return.

Emma had spent much of her life hanging out with JT, but of late she found herself feeling butterflies in her stomach whenever she was about to see him. Still, she had an obligation to see this evening's unfortunate double date through to the end and was determined not to let on how deep the feelings for her best friend had become.

"We still have a few minutes before the first show starts," JT said. "Want a snack or anything?"

"No thanks," Emma replied. "I don't feel up to living dangerously this afternoon."

"So, Emma…you're looking nice."

"Well…first date tonight," she explained, though in actuality she was trying to look nice for JT, not Patrick. "I want to make a good impression."

"Definitely," he agreed, though he was wishing that she wasn't interested in making a good impression on another man.

"Because a good first date could lead to…"

"A second date?" JT suggested.

"Huh? Oh, right, a second date. That would be just the thing to hope for. Yes indeed."

Emma hoped that her words sounded more convincing to JT than they did to her.

"Patrick is one lucky guy, Emma."

"Thanks, JT. I suppose you're excited about your date with Liberty."

"Words can't express how excited this date makes me," JT responded sarcastically.

"Are you okay?" Emma then asked. "You look a little tired."

"I didn't have time to get a lot of sleep. You may remember that unexpected, rather peculiar, gathering at my place last night. Then I had to get up early today to work here. Change the signs outside. Make sure we have all the supplies we need for the concession area. Have the films ready. Stuff like that. And of course the usual paperwork. What about you? What have you done today?"

"I slept," she answered.

JT started laughing.

"Hold on!" Emma added. "That's not all I did. I also wrote editorials to submit to both the school paper and the local paper."

JT rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, JT. I didn't overdo it."

"So they aren't articles about people not reading your previous articles?"

Emma laughed at this.

"Nothing so extreme," she assured him.

"That's good. I'm sure they'll make interesting reading."

"Thanks. I hope so."

"I know so, Emma," JT said without hesitation. "You're not only one of the best writers Degrassi has ever seen, but one of the most convincing. If only…"

"Yes?"

"Nothing," he replied, realizing he almost said too much. "So…nice weather we're having, isn't it?"

"Yes, very," she said, also realizing that the weather was a safe, emotion-free topic. "It's nice. Very nice. I was just thinking how nice the weather is."

"Yes, such a nice day to be outdoors," JT added. "Unless you're indoors. Like us. Not that it STOPS being nice to be outdoors just because you're indoors. Just that even if you're indoors when it's a nice day to be outdoors you can still have a nice day inside. Like we're doing here this afternoon. Indoors."

"I…couldn't have put it better myself," Emma said, once she was sure JT had finished rambling.

JT realized this situation had gotten ridiculous.

"Emma, I've got to be honest with you about something, and all this small talk isn't cutting it."

"I agree, JT. I'm so glad we're on the same wavelength."

'Could it be?' Emma thought. 'Am I really not alone in wanting something to happen between us? Then I could finally stop thinking about having to go on this stupid date with Patrick and just spend the rest of the day alone with JT like I really want.'

"Yeah, Emma. We do seem to be on the same wavelength. About most things. That's why I think I should tell you this. You see, it's about this double date tonight."

"I'm so glad you brought this up, JT. That date has been on my mind all day."

"Oh. Really? All day?"

'I guess she's more excited about her night with Pat than I realized if she's been thinking about it all day,' JT thought.

He became disheartened, misunderstanding the real reason the upcoming date had been on Emma's mind.

'It was stupid of me to get my hopes up. I'm her best friend. I should be grateful for that much and stop wishing for something I can never have.'

"Tell me, JT," Emma interrupted his thoughts. "About tonight. What are you thinking?"

"I guess it's not really so important," he said, trying not to sound disappointed. "I, um, was just surprised you were so interested in Pat."

"In who?" she asked.

"Your date," he replied. "What did you think I was going to say?"

"Oh. Pat. Of course. Sure. Why not? Patrick is…Well, he's a nice guy."

"One of the nicest," JT agreed, not catching the hint of disappointment in her voice.

"And he's interested in dating me," Emma added. "It won't be the same as dating you, though."

"Dating me?" JT questioned, confused.

"Did I say that?" Emma asked, growing nervous. "Yes, well…what I mean to say is…Liberty has known you much longer than Patrick has known me, so naturally the relationships are a little different."

'I'm an idiot,' Emma thought.

"Right…Liberty," JT said, disappointed.

"But I interrupted you, JT. Please, finish telling me what you wanted to say."

The lights then went down and the first movie began.

"That was about it," JT whispered.

"Oh…Okay," Emma whispered back.

'I'm an idiot,' JT thought.

They began watching "The Gold Rush," followed by a second, shorter Chaplin film. They laughed and enjoyed the comedies, but neither of them was fully concentrating on what was on the screen.

At one point, Emma had her hand laying on the armrest between them when JT reflexively put his hand on the same armrest – his hand ending up on top of hers. Neither even realizing it, their hands quickly intertwined, remaining held together until the final movie ended. The pair remained seated as light returned and everyone else filed out of the room.

"That was great," Emma was the first to comment. "I hadn't seen either of those before."

"I've seen them a couple times, but never on the big screen," JT said. "Being able to watch these films here, and share them with you…I mean, you and the rest of the city…it's hard to think of a job I'd enjoy more."

"Don't forget how good you are at the business side of the job," she reminded him.

"I guess I surprised a lot of people who never thought I could be responsible enough or smart enough for something like this…looking over budgets, dealing with suppliers, handling customer service issues."

"Maybe," Emma said, "but it didn't surprise ME a bit. I always knew you could do it, JT. You just needed a setting that could motivate you. Maybe you wouldn't try as hard if this were just some office building. But here, you get the business experience and movie magic all rolled into one."

"I think you're right, Emma. I have to say, it's also nice to be reminded how much you believe in…"

JT happened to look down, and for the first time he realized that they had been holding hands for quite some time.

"JT?"

Emma then looked down to see what JT noticed, and then she too realized they were holding hands all that time. It was something that felt so natural and right to them both that neither of them had even noticed when it happened.

"Well…" JT said, not able to think of anything better to say.

"So…" Emma responded, having similar communication difficulty.

"I guess we'd better go, Emma."

"You're right. We have people waiting for us outside."

"You wouldn't want to keep Pat waiting," he cautioned.

"Or you Liberty."

"Yeah, I'd never hear the end of it," JT joked. He then started to mimic how Liberty would react. "'Our first date in years, JT, and you keep me waiting 5 minutes? I could have written 5 term papers in all that time. Now you owe me 5 extra dates.'"

Emma laughed for several moments, until they both looked back down at their still united hands.

"It's time," JT said, with no enthusiasm.

"It's time," Emma repeated, with the same lack of interest.

They separated their hands, stood up and looked at one another like they each wanted to say something, but they left the room without speaking further.

Meanwhile, Manny walked quickly up the stairs of an apartment complex several miles away. She approached the front door to a second-floor apartment and hurriedly knocked on the door. In a few moments someone finally opened it.

"Good!" Manny exclaimed. "You're here. I know I should have called, but I had to see you and took a chance you might be home."

"Manny, are you okay? Is something wrong?"

The resident who greeted her was Craig Manning.

"No…Yes…I don't know. Craig, I need your help. I think I've made a big mistake."


	8. The Grand Illusion

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks for the comments on the previous chapters.

****

Chapter 8 -- The Grand Illusion

Liberty and Patrick stood outside The Movie Difference waiting on Emma and JT to exit. Liberty was looking inside through the window.

"Here they come, Patrick."

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

"Yes, but it still doesn't seem right."

"It's for a good cause, Liberty. If it helps, just pretend you're in a play. You're simply portraying a character. It's not like you'll be acting like yourself anyway."

JT and Emma exited the building. Emma was looking down at her hands, remembering that one of them had been joined with one of JT's for a long period of time. She was disappointed that in spite of what happened inside, she didn't have the courage to tell JT what she felt, nor did he give her the impression that he was feeling anything extra toward her. At the same time, JT was having similar thoughts and feelings of regret; disappointment in not getting to speak his mind and a belief that she didn't have similar feelings toward him.

Both were determined not to reveal their unhappiness to one another and to make the best of this unwanted double date.

"Hey, you two!" Patrick greeted the pair.

"Hey, Pat," JT responded with a minimal amount of enthusiasm.

"Hi," Emma said with a similar lack of eagerness.

Patrick, as planned, leaned in to try to kiss Emma, but she backed up before he could.

"What do you think you're doing?" Emma demanded.

"Just trying to give my old lady a proper greeting," Patrick replied.

"Well this 'old lady' bites, so back off."

"I never knew you were so kinky, Emma. But save that until we're alone."

JT was unsettled by this encounter, but he decided to try and ignore whatever Patrick and Emma might do together that night.

"Hello, JT," Liberty said, interrupting his Emma–centered thoughts.

'Good,' JT thought, 'at least Liberty still seems normal.'

"Hi, Liberty. Oh, I left that paperwork back in the office. If you want to wait a moment I can go back in and…"

"Don't worry about it," she stopped him. "We can deal with papers later. Over dinner we can discuss everything in detail."

"That sounds good."

"Yes, JT, you can whisper your demands into my ear. You know that gets me hot."

"Sure, I can just…Huh?"

Liberty made sure she was standing close to JT.

"You can describe exactly how you'll lay me out," she told him. "Oops, guess I shouldn't tell all our secrets in public. Everyone, I misspoke. JT and I were really taking about how we're going to lay out the advertisement."

Liberty then winked at JT, who now had a confused expression on his face. Patrick then brought everything to order.

"Now that we've all said our Hellos, let's go. My car's right over there."

"Yes, Patrick. Let's," Liberty said.

Liberty started to take JT's hand but he yanked it away before she could grab it.

"You are NOT holding my hand, Liberty," he said sternly. "That's only for…"

The other three looked at him, so JT decided he'd better laugh off his reaction.

"Sorry," JT said with a forced smile. "But you know I try never to hold hands on the first date. I'm a real prude until you've bought me dinner and gotten me drunk."

Liberty and Patrick laughed while Emma was busy trying not to look unhappy. The foursome headed toward Patrick's car.

Meanwhile, Manny stood at the doorway of Craig's apartment.

"Come on in, Manny."

"Thanks," she said as she entered the room. "Is anyone else around?"

"You know I live alone," he reminded her.

"Yeah, but it IS Saturday night and – you being you – it wouldn't surprise me if…well, what I mean is…"

"Don't worry, Manny," Craig said, smiling. "I don't have a date tonight. There's nobody in the bedroom, and nobody's in here but me. The guys are coming over later to discuss some songs we're thinking about doing, but right now I'm working on writing some new music."

"I was afraid that if you weren't having company over, you might have a gig tonight. I was hoping to reach you before you left."

"No gig this time. Please. Sit."

They each found a chair and sat down.

"Photographer's assistant by day, musician by night; it's no wonder I hardly see you these days," Manny commented.

"It keeps me busy, that's for sure," Craig said. "But I'm learning a lot more this way than if I was stuck in some university all day. I need real experiences, the kind you don't get sitting in a classroom memorizing words from a bunch of dusty books."

"True, but I'm still looking forward to trying out college life next fall. After all, it wasn't that long ago I didn't think I'd get to go."

"Manny…"

"I'm okay," she said, trying to reassure herself as well as Craig. "Most of the time. A part of me hates losing the baby. But another part of me knows it just wasn't the right time to become a mother. That doesn't make me a horrible person, does it?"

"Absolutely not," Craig replied without hesitation. "Only human. We would have done a great job, Manny. But things weren't meant to work out that way. We did do one amazing thing, though."

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"We actually went through the whole 'let's still be friends' cliché…and we really have stayed friends. How often does THAT happen?"

Manny smiled.

"But now we're getting way off track," he continued. "You said something about making a big mistake?"

"With JT," she said.

"Oh?"

Craig looked puzzled.

"What kind of mistake could…Manny…you're not…are you?"

"Not what?"

Manny thought for a moment. Then it hit her.

"CRAIG! Of course I'm not pregnant!"

"Okay, okay, take it easy. Just making sure."

"It took some doing," Manny explained, "but I finally got to talk to him alone for awhile yesterday, and we're good friends again."

"That's good, Manny. Where's the mistake?"

"Probably attached to his hip as we speak," she answered sarcastically.

"Huh?"

"Emma."

"Ah," Craig said, now understanding Manny's point. "Still giving you the death stare while being as polite as she can be?"

"On a good day. But JT is…"

"…hopelessly in love with her," Craig finished her sentence knowingly.

"He told you that?" she asked, surprised that Craig seemed to know the situation.

"Oh he won't admit it," Craig said. "But it's not tough to figure out. I get the feeling it's mutual, not that Emma will admit it any more than JT will."

"Craig, how did you find out all this?"

"When you hang out with JT, the trick is to wade through all the jokes and banter and figure out what's really going on by what he's not saying."

"Yes, he mentioned that you two have become friends."

"Yeah, he's a good guy."

"I know," Manny agreed. "I just never seem to know it at the right time. Hey, how come you never told me that the two of you were friends now?"

"You never asked," Craig said, smirking.

"Thanks a lot! Anyway, last night I tried to be a friend and I told him to be honest with Emma."

"Good advice, Manny."

"I thought so, too. I STILL think so. It was the mature thing to do, and it proved that he can rely on me as a friend."

"I'm still not seeing the problem," he said.

"I don't regret why I did it," she elaborated. "But today, I'm wishing I'd handled it completely different."

"And how's that?"

"I should have told him to forget all about Emma," she replied. "Then I'd have ripped his clothes off and done things with him that would make innocent little Emma blush for the next 10 years."

"Well…that definitely falls under the category of 'Things I Didn't Need To Know,'" Craig responded.

"And anyway, there's Emma to consider," Manny added.

"You're not also thinking about ripping HER clothes off and doing things, are you?"

"Craig, this is serious."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, I meant what I said to JT about wanting both of them back as my friends. JT's willing but it probably won't happen with Emma. At least not any time soon. But I also wish he wasn't so focused on her. He told me last night that he loves her. But I just know if we had one more chance together we'd get it right this time."

"So you came here to get me to help you stop JT and Emma from hooking up?" Craig asked.

"No. But you're the one friend that I know I can talk to about this."

"If you ask me, you had the right idea the first time."

"Thanks so much, Craig," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, do you want my take or not?"

"All right, go ahead."

"All three of you are my friends," Craig began, "so don't make it seem like I'm trying to take one side over another."

"Okay."

"Some things are meant to happen and some aren't, right?"

"Right," Manny agreed.

"You and JT. Friends? Yes. Couple? Never. Uh-uh. No way, no how. Emma and JT. Friends? Yes. Couple? Yes. Absolutely. No-brainer. They're the couple you root for and hope will work out. You two are the couple where you just hope that by the end there's no permanent damage."

"Hey!"

"It's like you've said, Manny…when he was interested, you weren't. All the times the two of you tried to be a couple, you were more interested in other people, me included. The times he's not paid any attention to you, you seek him out. Now he spends his time with someone who's right for him, where they could both be real good for each other, and you're getting scared.

"Take the friendship he's offering you and call it a day. If you decide to push for something more, I think you'll push him completely out of your life. This time for good."

"Well, THAT was sure helpful," she said sarcastically.

"Okay, if you really think you've got a case, go find him and take a chance. But you have to be ready for the worst case scenario."

"And if you were me?" she asked.

"You know me," Craig said, grinning. "Monogamy is just a word."

"Don't say that."

"Okay…it's just a word I can't spell."

Manny laughed at this.

"Seriously, Manny, I think you were right to advise JT and otherwise stay out of it. It makes sense that you're having second thoughts, but you should stick with your original plan. We BOTH know the trouble that comes from giving in to sudden impulses instead of sticking with what we know is the right thing to do."

"I know," Manny understood. "You're right."

Craig smiled.

"Shut up," she added.

"I didn't say a thing," Craig said, now laughing.

"But you were thinking. Gloating. I can tell."

"Maybe an 'I told you so' for good measure…Have you eaten anything?"

"No."

"Come on in the kitchen," he offered. "I'll get you some food. I've still got some leftover spaghetti."

They stood up and started to walk toward the kitchen.

"I really do want JT to be happy, Craig."

"I know. Of course now you're giving him advice, so he's bound to be miserable."

"You're terrible," Manny said, rolling her eyes.

"We both are, Manny. Why do you think we get along so well?"

"Less talking, more food serving."

Elsewhere, Patrick's car pulled into a restaurant parking lot. Emma was sitting beside Patrick in front while Liberty and JT sat in the back.

"I've never been here before," Patrick explained, "but I've heard good things about it."

"I'm sure it will be wonderful," Liberty said. "Perfect for a first date. Won't it, JT?"

"Huh? Oh, sure. Perfect."

While JT was forcing himself to sound enthusiastic, Emma looked out the window at the restaurant sign. She then looked over at her date.

"You've got to be kidding, Patrick."

"What's that, Emma?"

"You're taking us to a place called 'Steak & Stuff?'"

"Catchy name, don't you think?"

JT looked up at Emma wishing he could ease her mind, but he wanted to maintain an act of disinterest.

"You shouldn't complain so much, Emma," JT said. "He could have selected 'Beaks & Bits' or 'Gizzards R Us' but instead he chose one of the area's swankier joints. You should be impressed."

"Oh JT," Liberty started, inching closer toward him, "you DO say the funniest things. I only hope you don't allow Emma's mood to spoil our evening."

"Mood?" JT asked.

"Don't worry folks," Patrick said. "Emma will be fine. Won't you, darling?"

"Did you just call me 'darling?'" Emma asked, clearly displeased.

"JT, you know how emotional women can get sometimes," Patrick remarked, hoping to further rile Emma. "Even when they're happy. It's in their nature."

"Um, It is?" JT asked, confused.

"Patrick, what are you saying?" Emma grew both perplexed and annoyed by Patrick's behavior.

"He's right, JT," Liberty said, playing along to Patrick's lead. "Us women can be so silly sometimes. I'm amazed you all put up with us."

"Liberty?" Emma no longer knew what to make of this.

"Oookay," was all JT could say. He didn't realize that Emma was just as puzzled as he was. He then decided to try and change the subject. "So, Pat, you say you've heard good things about this place?"

"Some of the best steaks in the city."

"There's just one problem," Emma stated.

"Emma has a problem?" Liberty questioned in a sarcastic tone. "There's a surprise."

"Liberty!" JT called out.

"I don't eat steak, Patrick," Emma stated.

"Well I know you're not a vegetarian because I've seen you eat chicken," Patrick countered. "Guys, Emma may say she protects animals but from what I've seen at Ryan's, she can wolf down a piece of chicken in no time flat."

"Maybe she's a vegetarian who's just not very good at it," Liberty suggested. "She's a blonde, you know, so you have to make allowances for such people."

"Yes, I now eat chicken on occasion," Emma explained. "And yes, because of this I'm no longer claiming to be a vegetarian. Especially not one in the strictest of terms. But I'm still not a beef eater. And I certainly never pictured myself eating at a restaurant whose sign near the street includes a picture of a cow smiling while standing on a plate over an open fire."

"Look, Pat," JT interrupted, "if she's that uncomfortable…"

As JT tried to mediate, Emma decided she'd better put up with the restaurant so it won't appear like she wants JT's assistance and attention, of which she noticed he'd oddly shown very little since the double date began. Emma determined that maybe JT really did want to make things work with Liberty, or at least anyone but Emma, especially after their apparently unwanted surprise handholding during the movie.

"JT, I don't need you trying to speak for me," Emma declared. "I'm sorry, Patrick. I shouldn't have gotten so upset. You've obviously gone to a lot of trouble and if you think this is the best place for us all to be tonight…I'm sure I can find something on the menu I'll like."

"I don't understand anything that's going on tonight," JT said.

Liberty, as part of her effort to intentionally annoy JT, then put her hand on his knee.

"Aww, you're so cute when you get flustered," she told him.

"Liberty, are they spiking the drinks at the chess club meetings these days?" JT asked.

"What are we waiting for?" Patrick asked. "Let's go on in."

As they got out of the car and walked toward the entrance to the restaurant, JT wondered why Emma gave in so easily when she'd normally put up a fierce argument against eating someplace where she didn't want to be. JT determined that maybe he's been wrong and Emma really did want to try starting a relationship with Pat.

"So Liberty," JT started, making sure Emma could overhear him, "YOU don't have a problem with enjoying a good steak, do you?"

Liberty linked arms with JT as they walked through the front door – much to his displeasure.

"JT, as long as we're together, we could eat rats out of a dumpster and if that's what you wanted I'd be just as happy as if we were in a four-star restaurant."

Shocked, JT began to wonder if Liberty had completely lost her mind.

"Right…Okay, that's…strange, Liberty…Yeah, well…Let's…have fun."

**Next Chapter –** The Dinner Hour


	9. The Dinner Hour

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes: **I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter. Thanks for all the previous comments and reviews.

Chapter 9 -- The Dinner Hour

At Steak & Stuff, the foursome had just been seated, given menus and water, then was left alone to decide what to order.

"Quite a crowd," Patrick said, looking around.

Unnoticed by JT and Emma, he then gave Liberty a slight nod to indicate that he thought things were going well so far.

"Between all the people and that music, it's really loud in here," JT commented.

"What do you expect, JT?" Emma asked. "I'm sure they have a slaughterhouse back there next to the kitchen. They need to keep it loud enough in here so you can't here the cattle screaming before they're mutilated."

"Hope everyone's hungry!" Patrick said with enthusiasm.

"Of course," JT replied. "Nothing gets my stomach growling faster than talk about animal mutilation."

"Do you suppose they shoot the animals right outside, or just stuff them into a huge grinding machine?" Emma continued.

"Now, now, Emma darling…"

"No, Patrick," Emma stopped him. "If I'm being forced to feast on the remains of dead cattle tonight, I'd like to know the exact process used to prepare my meal. Unless it's all really horsemeat."

At this, JT put his hand on his forehead.

"My God," Emma remarked, "you don't think they just throw the saddle into the cooking pot, too, do you? Oh well, I'm sure our waiter can give us plenty of information."

Liberty, deciding it was again time for her to do her part, suddenly looked very angry.

"Emma Nelson, if you've ruined my guy's appetite with your crazy talk, I'll never forgive you!"

"Hey, I didn't ask to eat here," Emma countered, "but since I'm stuck, I need to make informed decisions."

"Liberty, stay calm," JT interjected.

Liberty then began giggling, immediately switching her mood from angry to excited.

"Okay!" she said excitedly. "Anything you say, my adorable popcorn kernel."

"See, Emma?" Patrick commented. "They've already got pet names for each other. You're dragging us down, darling. Get with the program so we can keep up with them. Liberty, what made you choose 'popcorn kernel'?"

"Oh, Patrick, my JT knows all about the movies," Liberty gushed. "He's going to own his own theater someday. And of course JT knows I like my popcorn the way I like my men – hot, tasty, and coated in melted butter."

Liberty then looked at JT and licked her lips. This prompted JT to hold open his menu so that it covered his face.

"So…" JT hoped for a quick change in the conversation. "What's everyone going to order?"

Meanwhile, Craig and Manny sat in the living room of his apartment:

"Sorry I don't have any dessert, Manny."

"I couldn't eat another bite anyway," she responded. "Thanks. For the food AND the pep talk."

"No problem, though I don't think the pep talk was that big a success."

"No, it was. I appreciate it."

"Anytime," Craig replied.

"I just have to remember to stick to being a good friend and not expect anything more."

"Now you're talking."

"And if things don't happen to work out with Emma," Manny added, "I'm sure he'll want a good friend he can talk to. Lean on."

"Manny, try not to drool like this when you're around JT or he might start to catch on," Craig said sarcastically.

"Very funny."

A thought then occurred to Craig.

"Hey, you wouldn't try to…help things not work out for them, would you, Manny?"

"Now Craig, would I do something like that?"

"We're good friends," he told her. "I care about you. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if you're thinking of searching the neighborhood for him – or them – as soon as you walk out my door."

Manny then smiled.

"Rats! You caught me," she joked.

"For real, Manny…your word of honor…let them take care of their own business. Leave it to JT to approach you if he wants to. Otherwise stay out of it. I think it's best for everyone involved, including you."

"My word of honor? I know of at least one girl who'd say that isn't worth much. But okay. I promise. Friendship only. At least for now."

Craig looked at Manny, unsure that she would – or even could – stay true to her promise.

At the restaurant, JT looked at Patrick and Emma as the couple scanned their menus. Patrick appeared very happy while Emma looked uncomfortable and miserable. JT thought about how he'd like to get up and carry her out of the place but he decided he'd better stop focusing his attention on Emma and instead try to make the best of his own date.

"Liberty…tell me, did you have much explaining to do about going out with us tonight?"

"What do you mean, sweetheart?"

"Sweetheart?" JT asked, not expecting her to call him that.

"That's YOU, sweetums!" Liberty clarified.

She then kissed JT on the forehead.

"I'm talking about Roger," JT said.

"Who?" she asked, pretending to have forgotten all about her boyfriend.

Emma looked up from her menu.

"Roger?" Emma interrupted, sarcasm obvious in her voice. "Is that the name of one of the animals they're serving tonight? So many dead creatures, so many menu choices. Why, if we can't narrow down our Want List, we might just have to go whole hog – if you'll pardon the expression – and strap some big dead animal onto the top of Patrick's car. We can take it home and have leftovers for a week."

"Oh you mean Roger my ex?" Liberty asked JT.

"Your ex?" JT asked, confused.

"As soon as you finally came to your senses last night and decided we should get together, I dropped him."

"You what?"

"The only thing is: since he's still sick, I couldn't tell if the sounds Roger was making in reaction to the news were sounds of crying or wheezing. Oh well, not my problem anymore."

"Don't worry, Emma," Patrick assured. "You don't need to make any choices for tonight. I know just what will be best for you to eat."

"Oh you do, do you?" Emma replied, clearly displeased.

"Liberty, I thought you understood that this was just a friendly business date," JT said.

"Well, you know what they say, JT – The most important business isn't done in the boardroom. It's handled in the bedroom. So later on, you and I can go back to your place and you can…handle our business."

After saying this, Liberty winked at JT. Before he could respond, however, a waiter approached.

"Are you all ready to order?"

"Yes," JT answered in a sarcastic tone, "do you have any loaded guns?"

"With all the dead carcasses around this place, I'm sure they do," Emma said with matching sarcasm.

Patrick laughed, then spoke to the waiter.

"They're kidding, of course. Yes, I think we're ready. JT, why don't you and Liberty go first."

"Okay," JT agreed. "Liberty?"

"What?"

"The man's waiting for you to order," JT explained.

"You're supposed to order for me, like a true gentleman."

"Liberty, join us in the Modern Age," Emma told her. "You are perfectly capable of ordering your own food. I don't understand what's gotten into you tonight."

"You're a fine one to talk about strange behavior, Emma," JT spoke up.

"What's that supposed to mean," Emma asked.

"Never mind," JT said, stopping himself from giving his opinion of the situation. "Look, Liberty, I don't know what you'd want. Just go ahead and order something already."

Liberty suddenly started to act hysterical and tugged on JT's arm.

"After all we've meant to each other," she spoke loudly, "you can sit here and say you don't know what I would want?"

"Mmm…yeah, I can," JT replied with ease.

"JT," Emma again spoke up, "how you can accuse me of acting strange when you're letting Liberty just…no, this is not the time or place."

Liberty then became completely calm and smiling, a change that was as sudden as her last mood swing.

"Just pick something for both of us, dreamboat," she requested. "I'll take anything you want me to have. I know I'll love whatever it is."

"Then I hope JT orders you a straightjacket," Emma remarked.

"Just ignore the silly little girl, JT," Liberty instructed.

Patrick interrupted to speak once more to the waiter.

"Maybe while they're sorting things out, we can go ahead and order."

"All right. What would you like?"

"I'll have the…" Emma began.

"Emma, darling," Patrick interrupted, "I've got this. No need to worry your pretty little head.

"Now wait just a minute…

"Emma, you're getting emotional again. Nobody wants a scene. You just sit there, drink your water and look cute, and I'll do all the talking for you."

"Patrick, you are so understanding," Liberty commented. "JT, I hate to say it, but you could learn a lot from Patrick about how to treat a lady…or even someone like Emma."

"Liberty, did you and Emma have a fight or something? What's with all the hostility?"

"James T. Yorke, if you really loved me, you'd stick up for me instead of always taking Emma's side."

Liberty then started making sniffling noises like she was about to cry.

"It's her you love. Not me. Just admit it!"

"JT," Patrick interceded, "you really need to learn how to control your woman better. Take a lesson from Emma and me. Like any successful couple, I tell her to jump, and Emma, the dutiful woman, simply asks 'How high?'"

Emma looked furious but refused to respond. JT, meanwhile, was trying to sort out Liberty's odd behavior.

"Earth to Liberty. Please return to THIS planet. It would be fun to have a normal conversation tonight. Emma and Patrick certainly aren't helping, so it's up to us."

"Waiter," Patrick began again, "I will have the Number One, medium rare, heavy on the steak sauce, baked potato with everything and hold the salad. And Emma will have the same."

"Since JT won't order for me," Liberty started, "I guess I'll have to order for both of us. We'll have the same thing they're having."

"Very good," the waiter responded. "I'll be back with your bread."

"Make sure we get extra butter," Patrick demanded before the waiter could leave. "The real thing; not that healthy light crap."

"And don't take too long!" Liberty added. "The conversation is exceedingly dull tonight. Eating will give us something to do."

The waiter then went to place their order, while Liberty stared at her glass of water, frowning.

"God, I wish one of you had thought to make some fake IDs. I need a drink."

"Yeah, okay Liberty. Whatever." JT said wearily.

He looked over at Emma.

"Emma, are you really just going to sit there?"

"JT, can we not have a scene?" Emma replied. "Let's all just get through this meal in peace and then go."

"I don't understand any of this!" JT exclaimed.

Liberty suddenly became cheerful again and patted JT's stomach.

"Don't mind JT," she suggested. "He gets all cranky when his tummy starts rumbling."

JT now looked ready to burst, deciding he had had enough.

"O-kay, that is IT!" JT said. "This is crazy. I'm surrounded by crazy people! That wouldn't be so bad, but you guys are supposed to be the normal people in my life. Patrick, yesterday you didn't seem like you even wanted to date Emma, and now you're ordering her meals for her. Will you be cutting her meat for her when the food arrives? Emma apparently won't mind. I thought I had an idea why you wanted me to be here tonight, but now I think there WAS no reason. You're just completely out of your mind.

"And Liberty over here isn't any better. She can't keep one mood for two minutes before she gets a whole new personality. She's all over the place and at this rate I'm guessing I'm going to have to get a new phone number. Unlisted. You've tried some bizarre ways to get my attention in the past, Liberty, but now I think you've gone completely around the bend."

JT then turned to Emma.

"And YOU! You're even crazier than Liberty, if that's possible. Since when does Emma Nelson let ANYONE give her orders, especially about not talking or about eating something she doesn't feel right about eating? The Emma Nelson I know wouldn't worry about appearances or making a scene. If she doesn't like something she'll gladly tell you even if she has to climb up on the roof and shout it for everyone on the block to hear. The Emma Nelson I know isn't too proud to accept help, but she also won't put up with anyone being even a little condescending or disrespectful. The Emma Nelson I know has never been at a loss for words around me as you were last night. The Emma Nelson I know…"

JT paused for a moment, then started again, this time much more calm.

"The Emma Nelson I know…is one of the sweetest, kindest, smartest, most loyal friends a person could ever have – even if she'll never want me the way that I want her."

Emma's eyes widened. Patrick and Liberty gave one another a knowing look and tried not to smile.

JT then stood up, getting upset again.

"But the most deranged person of all here is ME, because I've been sitting here tonight watching it all and putting up with the three of you loons without doing anything about it. Now I am. I'm outta here. See ya in the psycho ward."

JT turned to leave but hesitated and then turned back around to face Patrick.

"One other thing…"

He leaned in and got right in Patrick's face.

"The Emma Nelson I know would have selected the chicken breast, no sauce, hold the potato in exchange for extra salad with mayo on the side, with lots of croutons. She would have ordered it herself, or if she was feeling in an old-fashioned romantic mood might have asked you to order for her. You'd want her free to speak her mind because she has more interesting things to say than you can count. She's endlessly fascinating and has a much better sense of humor than she even realizes. And as smart as she is, she never makes you feel unimportant. You might keep all that in mind next time…that is, if you happen to find the Emma Nelson I know."

JT then left the table and walked out of the restaurant.

'Did I just say something about wanting Emma?' he thought to himself. 'Out loud? And in front of Emma? And even more important – I forgot I didn't bring my car. How am I going to get home?'

Back inside the restaurant, Emma was trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"Did he just say something about wanting me?" she asked. "Out loud? And in front of me? In front of all of us? He even knew EXACTLY what food I would have ordered. And even more important – did he just walk out without giving me any chance to respond? He just drops a bombshell like that when I've been the one waiting for the right time to say the same thing to him? Not that there ever seems to be a right time. And then he just walks out?"

Emma then looked at Liberty.

"And here I was starting to think he was crazy about YOU, Liberty, since he was putting up with all your bizarre mood swings. Well, he's not getting away from me this easily. I have a few things to say to him and he's going to listen if I have to sit on top of him and MAKE him hear me out. You two…well, I don't what your deal is tonight any more than JT does. I think you've both lost your minds."

Emma stood up from her chair.

"Why don't you both just sit there and…look cute," Emma said snidely. "Then your pretty little heads can fight over who gets to order dessert. I've got a score to settle with a certain crazy man who I'm more than a little crazy about. I was an idiot to get scared last night. Afraid to say something in front of a few people when I really want to shout it for everyone to hear.

"Oh, and Liberty? Tonight you've finally proved once and for all that you know nothing about what JT wants. Your bizarre attitude. Your efforts to touch him – so much so that it puts Manny to shame. And let's not forget your pitiful attempt to guess what he'd want to eat. For your information, JT would have wanted his steak well done, no steak sauce but lots and lots of ketchup, with fries instead of a baked potato with – of course – even more ketchup. He'd have gotten a salad, Italian dressing, but wouldn't have touched it until he's been nagged for awhile about how it's good for him. Then he probably would have started giving the tomatoes funny voices and strange things to say until you're about to fall over onto the floor laughing at his wild imagination and oddball sense of humor. And it would have been a fun meal you'd remember for a long time."

Back at Craig's apartment, he was hanging up his phone.

"Who was that?" Manny asked.

"JT," Craig replied. "He needs a lift."

"What happened?"

"He said something about a 'date from hell' and not having his getaway car."

"I knew that set-up for tonight was a bad idea," Manny said. "Let me guess: JT listened to me and finally told Emma the truth, then she had one of her tantrums and stole his car."

"I doubt it."

"Craig, you can't leave. You've got people coming over in a few minutes."

"Just the guys. I'll leave a note on the door and catch up with them later."

"No, you should stay. I'll go pick JT up."

"Why do I think that's NOT a good idea?"

"It'll be fine, Craig," she insisted. "Trust me."

"Manny…"

"Trust me! I'll be good." Manny then smiled. "And if I'm not, JT can always spank me."

"Now I KNOW this is a bad idea," Craig commented.

"I'm kidding," she said. "Come on. He's my friend; I'm not going to do anything or say anything to hurt him. And you don't want to let down your bandmates, do you?"

"I know I'll regret this…but okay, I'll stay here. You go get him. He's at that steak place on Route 5."

"The one with that crazy sign?" Manny asked, surprised.

"That's the one," Craig confirmed.

"No wonder he couldn't keep Emma calm. What was he thinking taking her there of all places? He's smarter than that."

"I know."

"And funnier," she continued. "And cuter. And…"

"Manny! Focus. Now it should only take about 10 minutes to get there."

"Oh please, I bet I can be there in five. And don't worry about me."

"I think I'm more worried about JT."

"Whatever," Manny said, rolling her eyes. "Goodnight, Craig."

Soon after Manny left, Craig realized he should call JT back and tell him of the change in plans and to expect Manny to pick him up.

Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, Liberty and Patrick sat at their table laughing.

"Liberty, you should stop working behind the scenes on those school plays. You definitely belong on the stage."

"Me? Patrick, you were so convincing, there were a couple of times where even I almost felt like slapping you. I can't believe Emma stayed calm for so long."

"And you seemed to know just how to annoy JT."

"Years of unintentional practice a long time ago," Liberty explained. "It's been ages since I got to mess with his head like that."

"They were so busy trying to pretend not to care too much about each other," Patrick noted, "I knew if we kept pushing with a healthy mix of rudeness and insanity, they HAD to crack sooner or later and defend each other."

"Or," Liberty interjected, "get mad enough at each other for putting up with the two of us that they'd let the truth about their feelings finally slip out."

"Let's also be thankful I stopped their orders in time," he added. "The last thing we need is to pay for two extra, uneaten, meals."

"You know, Patrick, I had a lot of doubts about this plan."

"Not me. The look on their faces when we met them outside the theater told me they both hated the idea of this double date and would rather be somewhere else – together."

"I noticed that, too. Also, did you see the way they kept looking at their hands as we walked from the theater to your car? I don't know WHAT that was all about."

"Liberty," he cautioned, "you do know it will probably be days before they'll talk to us again, much less give us a chance to explain."

"As long as they're out there talking to each other," she reasoned. "Finally."

"Well, they WILL have to cool off a little since I'm still their ride and they can't very well get home without us."

While the pair continued to discuss the success of their plan to get Emma and JT to open up, Craig was unsuccessful at reaching JT.

'He must have turned his cell off,' Craig thought, hanging up his phone. 'I shouldn't worry. They'll be okay. I hope.'


	10. Dessert

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

Chapter 10 -- Dessert

"This has to be the longest red light in town," Manny said as she sat waiting inside her automobile. "That's all right; I'm in no hurry. Say, this is the first time you've been inside my car. What do you think, JT?"

"It's nice, Manny," JT replied, sitting in the front passenger seat. "Comfortable. Not as sporty a car as I pictured you owning, though."

"Hey, my family couldn't afford sporty when they got me this. I'll take what I can get."

"Well, what you've got is pretty fantastic," he remarked. "And I don't just mean the car."

"So, you've pictured me in a flashy sports car?"

"Of course, Manny. I've pictured you many times in many different ways. That never stopped."

"JT, I am so sorry things didn't work out with you and Emma. I know you were hoping you'd be closer, and after tonight you're more apart than ever."

"I was feeling down about the whole thing," JT shared. "But then you showed up. I'm not superstitious, but that's gotta be a sign, right?"

"I hope so," she replied.

"This may sound crazy, but I think the main reason I wanted to be close to Emma is because I figured I'd never have another chance with you. You were never really interested in me all those other times. Emma seemed like a good second choice."

"I WAS interested," Manny assured. "But I was so young and dumb those times we went out in the past. Listen JT, I promise you I'm different now and you are the only man for me."

"So, you and me, we can give it one more try?"

"If you want to, JT."

"I thought you'd never ask," he said excitedly.

JT then leaned over and kissed her. After several moments, Manny broke away.

"JT, what's that noise?"

"The beating of my heart, which you've taken over? Ignore it and let's go home and celebrate our reunion."

"No, it sounds like a horn. A loud one."

Manny heard the horn a second time.

"Huh?"

Manny looked beside her and found the passenger seat empty. JT hadn't been sitting next to her. Their reunion was all in her mind as she sat waiting on the traffic light. Looking forward, she saw that the light had finally turned green. Cars behind her were honking for her to go.

'Oops, better get moving,' Manny thought. 'Enough daydreaming at the red lights. Or evening dreaming. Or whatever you call it. The last thing I need is to get in an accident before I even get to the restaurant to pick him up. Still, it was kinda nice to think about him here. With me. Together again.'

At Steak & Stuff, Emma walked out of the restaurant and into the parking lot. She looked around and eventually saw JT standing under the restaurant sign near the street. She walked quickly and determinedly toward him.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked after reaching JT.

JT looked down at his feet, then back up at her.

"I believe it's called 'standing,' Emma. And look – you're doing it, too."

"So you just decided to tell everyone off, walk out on us and come out here to stand underneath this hideous burning-cow sign?"

"Mmm…Yeah, pretty much," he said calmly. "Any other questions before my ride shows up?"

"Your ride?"

"Craig's on his way," JT explained. "What? You didn't think I was going to ride back with Peculiar Patrick, Lunatic Liberty and Emma the Enabler, did you?"

"Enabler?" she repeated. "You aren't making any sense."

"Oh really?"

"But maybe a person whose idea of an intellectual debate is 'Who's a better Stooge – Curly or Shemp?' shouldn't try to use such big words."

"I'm talking about your behavior in there, Emma."

"Oh, MY behavior?"

"Yes. For whatever reason, Patrick was awful to you. And you just sat there taking it."

"JT, you weren't exactly doing much to stop Liberty's crazed ramblings."

"You know I never took Liberty's flirtations with me, however strange, too seriously when we were kids. I don't know why she's decided to start all that up again now, but I still don't take it serious. But you? The way you just sat there when Pat was treating you like a helpless child? I didn't think you were the kind of person who'd want to go through life getting stepped on."

"Stepped on? Trying to remain civil and not disrupt the dining of a roomful of people counts as getting stepped on?"

"But maybe it fits," JT suggested. "After all it didn't ever stop you from going back to Sean so many times I lost count."

"That's real funny coming from the guy who never fails to jump through hoops for Manny," Emma countered. "No matter how many times she proves she doesn't want you if there's a chance that ANYONE better will come along."

"I do not do that," he responded.

"Okay, you DID surprise me by asking Liberty out as your date for tonight. But I just assumed it's because you know Manny doesn't do well on dates unless there's a bed nearby."

"You're way out of line, Emma."

"Make up your mind, JT. First you complain because I won't speak my mind with Patrick. Now you want me to be careful about what I say. But that's okay. Go right ahead and keep on defending Manny. It's nothing you haven't said before. She always hurts you, and you always forgive and forget. But when it comes to someone who would never dream of hurting you, who always has your best interests at heart, SHE'S out of line for daring to speak ill of St. Manny. I don't even want to think about what happened between the two of you after the rest of us left your house last night."

"I'll tell you what happened. Manny told me I should be honest with you about what I really want."

"Spare me the lurid details," Emma requested in a sarcastic tone.

"I know honesty has become a foreign concept for you, Emma, which is why I hesitated following her advice."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You mean to say that you really truly made several phone calls and then walked over to my house late last night JUST to tell me – after a lot of hesitation – that you were going to start dating Patrick?"

Emma wasn't quite sure how to answer this charge.

"Yes…I mean, no!…I mean…Quit changing the subject!"

"The subject is this, Emma – What did you REALLY want to tell me last night?"

"Never mind," she replied, planning to change the subject. "What was all that a few minutes ago about me not wanting you in the same way you want me? What way do you mean?"

"Emma…"

"No, you started something in there, so finish it. How do you want me? As your best friend? A sister? What?"

"What more is there to say?" JT shot back. "Do I have to spell it out in bright neon letters? I'm in love with you, Emma! Hopelessly, undeniably, CERTIFIABLY…in love with you."

For a moment neither said anything.

"Wow," Emma finally replied softly, somewhat flustered.

"And you don't have to say anything," he continued. "Like I said inside, I know you don't feel the same way, so I haven't said it until now. But it's true. It's been true for awhile now, even before I knew what was happening."

JT then looked at his watch.

"Where is Craig?" he wondered out loud.

"How dare you!" Emma said, frowning.

"Don't be mad," JT urged.

"Don't tell me not to get mad, JT Yorke. I should be furious! You carry this secret around for I don't know how long. Then when you finally tell me, you add the part about knowing what I would think or say or do once I found out. You're supposed to know me. I thought you knew me better than anyone else. Isn't it obvious how I would react?"

"I don't get it," he said, looking confused.

Emma's frown then turned into a smile.

"I showed up last night to tell you…to tell you the same thing. I'm in love you, JT, and I think we should become more than friends."

JT had the same look of surprise on his face as Emma did upon hearing his declaration moments earlier.

"But then I got there and saw Manny at your front door," Emma continued.

"I explained about Manny," he reminded her.

"I know, and then when we were in the kitchen you started to give me what I thought sure was a friendly kiss on the cheek to cheer me up. Then it was back into a now crowded room full of tension. I wasn't going to take a chance at confessing something in front of everyone when I didn't think anything good could come from this truth. Patrick was a good last-minute excuse. Well, apparently not a GOOD excuse."

"Wait, Emma. Let's back up. You did say that you're in love. With me. I mean, it's not something I imagined or misunderstood. Right?"

"Can't you tell by now?" she asked gently. "There's nobody else in this world I'd spend Saturday night arguing with under such a repulsive sign."

"But I mean, you don't love me just as a friend?"

"As a best friend…and as someone I want as more than that. Much more. But what do YOU want?"

"Well, that almost-kiss in the kitchen was NOT going to be a friendly peck," JT admitted, grinning. "I was just hoping you wouldn't slap me after it was over."

"Never," she guaranteed.

"It's supposed to work both ways, you know," he commented.

"What is?"

"You're supposed to know me better than anyone else, too," JT explained.

"You're right. Okay then, in the competition to see who's the bigger coward, it's a tie."

"I know we're best friends, Emma, but I didn't think I was someone you'd ever think about like THAT. So how long have you been thinking about this?"

"Like you, for months. Maybe longer. But can we really do this? We've known each other…"

"Practically our whole lives," he said, finishing her sentence.

"That's right," she continued. "And we've seen each other through messy relationships."

"Hysterically bad relationships," he suggested.

"Intense relationships," she added.

"Remaining friends when others left and new friends came along," he offered.

"And when some friends changed and hurt us."

"You've been so good for me, Emma, especially this year."

"Every year has been good, JT."

"So how can we NOT do this?" he questioned.

"No reason I can think of."

"It IS a big risk, Emma."

"But even if we wanted to back out now, it's too late," she explained. "We couldn't just turn off these feelings and forget about it."

"I don't want to."

"Neither do I."

"Listen, Emma, I'm sorry I pulled 'the Sean card.' I just couldn't watch another guy – even Pat – treat you any less than you deserve. I never thought you weren't a strong person. I was just mad and protective tonight and confused about why you weren't calling Pat on all that garbage."

"I know," Emma responded. "I've always said I was lucky to have a good enough friend to criticize me if it looks like I'm doing something crazy. But in the middle of a ton of emotions and fears I reacted badly and then pulled what I guess you'd call 'the Manny card.' You know that I've never liked how she would brush you off. You never deserved that. But I also know you have this huge heart and are always willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I shouldn't have criticized you for that. Oh, and sorry about the 'Stooges fan equals unintelligent' comment, too. After a lifetime around you, I know better."

JT laughed.

"Hey, I didn't take offense," he told her. "If we can't have a good argument every now and then, that doesn't say much about how strong our friendship is. We both know what's real and what's just crazy talk. Nothing you say can ever change what I think about you."

"And just so I'm absolutely clear," Emma began her question, smiling because she was now sure she knew the answer, "what DO you think about me?"

"I love you, Emma. I love you and I want us to do it."

Emma raised an eyebrow and JT suddenly realized he had misspoken.

"Oh God! Emma, I mean 'it' as in 'becoming a couple.' Not the other 'it.' Which is not to say that doing the other 'it' with you wouldn't be great someday, too. That is, if you'd want to do that someday. Not that I'd ever pressure you. About anything. Ever. And…you see, this is why I should never have serious conversations."

Emma laughed.

"It's okay, JT. I knew what you meant."

"You mean…?"

"I love you, too, Jamie. As my best friend, and now as so much more."

"It's obvious we're destined to be together," JT remarked, now sounding more confident. "Like cake and ice cream. Like peanut butter and ketchup. Like…"

"Yes, JT. And I think it's also obvious you're getting hungry. See what happens when you leave me behind in a restaurant before the food arrives?"

"Never again," he promised.

"I won't let you, so no worries there."

"You know, even my mother could tell. Not that I'm hungry. But that we're supposed to be together."

"I had a feeling she did," Emma responded.

"It's true," JT said. "Every once in awhile, she'd make these comments. She thought she was being subtle."

"But not really?"

"Subtle like a foghorn," he joked. "She'd say things like, 'For two smart kids, you think you'd know who you're supposed to be dating.' Or, 'Oh, you have a date tonight? You should ask Emma to go along too so you won't be bored.'"

"That DOES sound like something your mom would say," Emma said as she started to laugh.

"And my favorite of all her attempts to be subtle – 'When is Young Miss Nelson going to come by and schedule her fittings. It takes time to make a wedding dress and I want to get it right. Not that I'm pushing, son.'"

Both of them were now laughing.

"And I'm guessing Patrick also had us figured out?" Emma then asked.

"Yeah, he's been bugging me to go ahead and tell you…if only so I'll stop bugging him. He seems to think I'm easier to be around when you're nearby. I can't imagine how he could get an idea like that just because it's probably true."

"Courtney and the folks have been trying to convince me to talk to you, too," Emma revealed.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, well…they've been under the impression that I'm insane for worrying that you'd turn me away."

"I guess the insanity hit both of us, Emma. Anyway, it's about time that the Two Musketeers took some chances. Stop ignoring or denying what we obviously both want."

"You're sure, JT?" she asked, reluctantly offering him one final opportunity to get out of this situation. "No kidding around? This is your last chance to back out."

"Sorry," he said without hesitation. "Looks like you're stuck with me for good."

"Wait," Emma spoke up suddenly. "I just thought of something."

"Emma, we've only been a couple for 5 seconds and you're already breaking up with me? Record books, here I come."

"No, silly. About Patrick and Liberty."

"Let's not spoil the moment by thinking about them," he remarked.

"No, wait, JT. We agree that we're the last ones who weren't completely sure we should change things, right?"

"Right."

They looked at each other for a moment in silence.

"Oh…" JT was beginning to catch on to what Emma was getting at. "You're saying that if we both know Patrick knew the truth about what we really wanted, what's with everything tonight?"

"When I walked home last night, Patrick and Liberty were still outside your house talking. JT, you don't think…They wouldn't…"

"They would," he confirmed.

"And all the strange behavior…just a put-on."

"So, Emma, this means you weren't really happy with Patrick's bossiness?"

"Does wanting to rip out his intestines and serve them as the Special of the Day count as not being happy? I put up with it so you wouldn't get the idea I was miserable and wanted to be with you instead."

"Good to know."

"And you and Liberty…you weren't about to become the surprise couple of the senior class?"

"Not on your life. I agreed to this goofy double date because I knew you had to be hiding something, and I figured I could play your game of secrets as good as you could."

"Good," Emma was relieved. "You had me worried for awhile, 'popcorn kernel.'"

"Never call me that again," JT warned with a smile. "Unless you want me to start calling you my 'old lady.'"

The laughter they then shared was the result of their joking and the relief that everything was finally out in the open.

"So what now?" JT soon asked.

"You mean, where do we go from here?" Emma questioned.

"Well, if you want to pull out the phrase clichés…"

"Funny. I do think we should go back inside."

JT groaned at Emma's suggestion.

"We should, JT. We can let them know that we're on to their game and maybe we'll forgive them for being so sneaky and meddling…someday."

"Better yet, since they went to all this trouble…let's give them a little scare."

"I can hear the wheels turning in your head, JT. Always a dangerous sign."

"You've got your purse with you. Did you happen to leave anything behind in the restaurant?"

"No," Emma answered. "Why?"

"Then we don't need to go back inside."

"That's mean."

"No it's not, Emma. Leave them alone to wonder what happened – with us, and with their plan. It's not like they won't figure things out eventually."

"But meanwhile they'll be worried about where we are."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," JT joked.

"How about we compromise," Emma offered. "We won't go back inside, but we WILL leave a note on Patrick's windshield. When they eventually come outside, before they have a chance to get too concerned about where we are, they'll see the message telling them of their success and that we've left."

"I guess that will be okay," JT accepted.

"Craig will be here any minute to pick you up and we can ride back with him, but we don't want to be too mean to the people who helped bring us together…even if they drove us nuts in the process."

"That sounds good, Emma."

"Our first compromise as a couple. We're going to make a great team, JT."

"Hey, we always have before."

"True. Okay, you wait for Craig and I'll go write a note and stick it on Patrick's car."

Emma started to walk away but JT grabbed her hand.

"Wait, Emma. Just one more thing before you go."

JT then pulled Emma close to him and at long last kissed her. Though this would be their first kiss, there was no hesitation for either of them. The kiss was neither too long nor extremely intense, but enough to serve as a good beginning for the new chapter in their relationship.

After it was over, they looked at one another.

"Wow," Emma responded, for once at a loss for any other words.

"Wow indeed," JT replied.

"JT, I've wanted that to happen for a long time."

"Me too."

"Was it…?"

"Even better than I imagined, Emma."

"I agree," Emma said, again getting flustered. "Now, there was something I was going to do. Wasn't there? I think I was supposed to go…somewhere."

"Pat's car." JT smiled at Emma's confused state.

"Pat's car? Oh, right. The car. The note. Being nice but not too nice. Okay. But don't you dare disappear on me, JT."

"Not a chance."

Emma started walking backwards, waving to JT, until she backed into another parked car. Then she smiled and reluctantly turned around and walked away. JT eventually lost sight of her amidst all the parked cars.

'If I'm only dreaming,' JT thought, 'I'm going to be very ticked off.'

At that time, Manny reached the restaurant and pulled into the parking lot.

'There's JT,' Manny thought upon spotting him. 'Standing all alone waiting under that sign. Emma is either dumb or heartless. Or both. Don't worry, JT. I'm here now. All your troubles are over.'


	11. Gotcha

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks for all the reviews so far. To answer a question about Ch. 10 from reviewer YellyBelly – _"But the beginning confused me a little bit. Was Manny just dreaming that JT was in the car with her?"_ Yes, it was her dream/fantasy/delusion while driving to pick JT up since Craig couldn't do it. Note that Manny says, _"Enough daydreaming at the red lights. Or evening dreaming. Or whatever you call it."_ Also, even at his most romantic, JT isn't likely to respond to Manny's question about the noise with something as hokey _as "The beating of my heart, which you've taken over?"_, but it would be something that Manny might imagine him saying to her in her ideal scenario. The first scene was definitely designed to make the reader wonder if JT left with Manny, until Manny snapped out of it and the reader sees that JT is still at the restaurant. Just call me a writer who enjoys confusing (torturing?) the readers. Now on to the newest chapter.

****

Chapter 11--Gotcha

Inside Steak & Stuff, Liberty and Patrick were eating.

"This is pretty good, Patrick," Liberty said between bites. "What do you think?"

"I think JT and Emma are really missing out," he replied.

"I'm sure they don't mind too much. They're probably in each other's arms as we speak."

"Or at each other's throats."

"They would never REALLY get mad at one another," she countered.

"You think so, do you, Liberty?" Emma interjected.

The pair looked up in surprise and found Emma suddenly standing before their table looking very angry.

Out in the parking lot, meanwhile, Manny drove up beside where JT was standing and slammed on the brakes. She then rolled down her window.

"I don't normally pick up hitchhikers, but in your case I'll make an exception," she said cheerfully.

"Manny! This is a surprise."

"A good one I hope."

"Are you meeting someone?" he asked.

"Yeah. You."

Manny then got out of the car.

"Me?"

"JT, would you believe I picked up these vibrations and sensed you were out here all alone and needing a ride?"

"You've been listening to those gossipy tea leaves again," JT joked.

"More like gossipy Craig," she corrected. "I was at his place visiting when you called. He was on his way here but since his group was coming over I convinced him to stay and let me come pick you up."

"I see."

"Hope that's okay," she added. "You and I ARE friends again and I wanted to help."

"No, that's…fine," he said hesitantly

"Craig said things didn't go so well, and since you're standing out here alone, I guess he wasn't exaggerating."

"Manny, you don't understand."

Manny reached out and touched the side of JT's face lightly with her hand.

"My poor JT. I do understand. And I'm here to help"

Inside the restaurant, newly arrived Emma watched as Liberty and Patrick grew concerned.

"Hi, Emma," Patrick nervously greeted.

"Quiet, you," Emma responded brusquely.

"Emma, you don't understand," Liberty offered.

"No," Emma stopped her. "It's you who don't understand. The two of you, sitting there with the blood of countless dead cows on your hands…and on your faces too from the looks of you, Patrick."

Patrick, embarrassed, wiped some sauce off his face with his napkin.

"Do you two know what you've done?" she asked.

Liberty and Patrick looked at her, silent and worried.

"Emma…"

"No, Patrick! Answer me! Do you know what you've done?"

Emma stared at them, then suddenly changed her frown into a big grin.

"You've helped make this one of the best nights of my life. THAT'S what you've done!"

Liberty and Patrick looked at one another.

"Oh and by the way, you two…Gotcha!"

Outside, JT and Manny were still standing near her car. Manny started to push the conversation toward what she said to JT in the fantasy she had while driving to the restaurant.

"This is the first time you'll have the chance to ride in my car," she observed. "What do you think of it?"

"It's nice. But look, Manny, I need to talk to you about…"

"I guess you pictured me in something flashier," Manny interrupted. "Like a sports car."

"It's about me and Emma," JT tried to continue.

"JT, I am so sorry things didn't work out with you and Emma. I know you were hoping you'd be closer, and after tonight you're more apart than ever."

"That's just it, Manny…"

"And I know you're not superstitious, but you're sure to think my showing up here is a sign."

"Maybe, in a way," JT said, confused as to where this conversation was going.

"You are so nice and understanding and forgiving," she remarked. "That's good. If you weren't, you might not have wanted us to be friends again. But the way Emma must have treated you tonight…You're better off without her."

"We should talk," JT suggested.

"She had her chance and let it pass by, JT. The two of you can stop talking now."

"I meant you and I should talk," he clarified.

"Oh, we will. I'm so glad you want to. I was so young and dumb those times we went out in the past. Listen JT, I promise you I'm different now and you are the only man for me."

Manny then wrapped her arms around JT and hugged him, much to his surprise.

Inside, Emma was now sitting at the table with Liberty and Patrick.

"JT is the only man for me," Emma said proudly.

"That's great," Liberty responded, pleased to see that things really had worked out.

"I know saying that must make me sound like just a silly schoolgirl," Emma added.

"No it doesn't," Liberty assured.

"And I know that some people who are close friends try to become couples and it doesn't work."

"But not you?" Patrick asked.

"I just have a feeling…deep down. We're not in that group. It's going to work. And it's going to last."

"I'm so happy for both of you," Liberty said, genuinely happy for the couple. "If I wasn't meant to have him, at least I know he's in good hands."

"Where IS JT anyway? Why didn't he come back in with you, Emma?"

"He…doesn't know I'm in here, Patrick" Emma revealed.

"Let me guess," Patrick offered. "You kissed him and he passed out from the intensity."

"He was afraid you and I might get into a hair pulling, food throwing catfight over him and he couldn't bear to watch?" Liberty guessed.

"Better still," Patrick began again, "he was afraid the two of you WOULDN'T get into a catfight over him so he didn't feel like coming in to be disappointed."

"Wrong, wrong and wrong," Emma said decisively.

"Then what's going on?" Liberty asked.

Outside, JT broke free from Manny.

"What's going on?" JT asked.

"I know you've cared about Emma for a long time," Manny explained, "but I'm your friend and I'm going to help you get over her. Let's get in the car and get out of here. Did you have a chance to eat anything before you left?"

"No, just drank some water."

"Then let's go get you something. I ate at Craig's, but I can keep you company while you eat."

"Manny, please, there's something I need to tell you."

"Tell me anything."

"Emma and I…we're together now. A couple."

"Except that," Manny said quickly.

JT grew concerned as Manny's happy expression turned to disappointment.

"Manny…"

"No, what I mean is…What happened to the date from hell?"

JT laughed, remembering that he gave that description to Craig when calling for help.

"That's what it was all right," he confirmed. "So I walked out and called Craig for a ride. Then Emma came out after me and we argued."

"I must be missing something," Manny said, struggling to make sense of everything JT was telling her. "You argued. She's not here now. But you're together?"

"We each figured out that the other wasn't being upfront about things. You were right. Honesty was the way to go. Better late than never, right?"

"Right," Manny answered, struggling to smile. "See, you should listen to me more often. That way everything works out…for everyone."

"Anyway, after the arguing and the hiding, we got around to telling the truth. That, plus one indescribably good kiss, convinced us to take a chance. So now we're a couple. Officially. Zooming towards that big 'Happily Ever After' sign."

'Don't you DARE cry, girl,' Manny thought to herself. 'You wanted his friendship and he's given you another chance. So be his friend and at least try to be happy for him.'

"Congratulations, JT," she said. "I know it's what you were wanting."

"Thanks. Emma went over to leave a note for Patrick and Liberty while I was standing lookout for Craig. I'm surprised she's not back yet."

"JT, this is Emma we're talking about," Manny kidded. "Even if she's just signing a birthday card she can turn a simple message into an essay."

"No argument there. Isn't it great?"

"You are definitely in love," she remarked.

"Manny, about what you were saying a few minutes ago…I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea."

"Wrong idea? No, don't think that way. Craig had me expecting the worst for you, so I just wanted to cheer you up."

"Well you did say I was the only one for you."

"I…just didn't want you to think you weren't wanted even if Emma didn't want you."

"And that's all it was?" he asked.

"Of course. We've tried the 'couple' thing too many times, JT. Can you see us trying AGAIN? We do much better as friends."

Manny was saying this as much to herself as to JT.

"I think you're right, Manny. Again!"

"I know. Being right is getting to be a bad habit."

Inside, the three friends were laughing.

"I'm so glad you two aren't mad, Emma," Liberty said.

"After you and Patrick put on such a convincing act? How could we be mad? Or at least, we weren't mad once we knew it WAS an act. JT just wanted to get you two a little worked up before you knew everything worked out. But I couldn't just leave a note for you to find only after worrying about what happened to us."

"I'm sure he won't mind since you managed to give us a good scare anyway," Patrick commented.

"I couldn't resist," Emma admitted.

"If JT's smart, he'll never do anything to make you mad," he teased.

"I think we've both figured out we can't stand being even a little mad at each other, so no worries there," Emma explained. "We did say a few things to each other during the argument, though."

"What about?" Liberty asked.

"Just little things," she replied. "No one can scratch at an old wound quite like someone who knows you best, you know? It's easy to say something stupid when you're hurt. Trying to protect your heart at the same time you're concerned about one another's behavior. We both know it didn't mean anything and we got all that stuff settled. It's just part of being in love. And I can't tell you how GREAT it feels that I can finally say that out loud. I'm in love with JT Yorke! And even better, he's in love with me.

"Liberty, I think I owe you an apology. Telling you that you didn't have a clue what JT wants. As it turned out, you seemed to know better than I did."

"You knew," Liberty assured her. "You said as much last night outside JT's, and it was obvious long before that. You just weren't sure about taking the big step until you were nudged. There's no need for you to apologize."

"Thanks Liberty. Thanks to both of you for everything. And now that everything's settled, the rest of this night is for celebrating. And eating, which JT and I STILL need to do."

"Then you'd better get back outside," Patrick told her. "Craig's probably here by now."

"Are you trying to give me orders again?" Emma joked.

"I wouldn't dare," Patrick replied, laughing.

"Tell JT I can get the items for the newspaper from him at school Monday morning," Liberty mentioned as Emma stood up to leave. "And that I really haven't lost my mind."

"Yeah, Liberty, like he'll ever believe that, even from me. Kidding. I'll tell him. Good night, you guys."

"You two go and have fun," Patrick said.

"But not too much fun!" Liberty added.

"Okay, Mom and Dad," Emma said sarcastically.

Emma then left the table.

"She's practically bouncing out of here," Patrick observed. "That is one happy woman."

"As well she should be."

"Liberty, do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"Maybe just a teensy tiny little bit," she had to admit. "The whole 'what might have been' / 'roads not taken' angle. But overall I'm happy it worked out…and that we can forever remind them that they owe it all to us."

"Here, here!"

"Roger will be sorry he missed getting to watch all the fun we had, Patrick. But maybe he can help out with the next mission."

"Next mission?" he asked, growing curious.

"Finding YOU a girlfriend, of course," she answered.

Patrick laughed.

"Of course."

Outside, JT was still concerned about Manny.

"So you're really okay?" he asked. "I don't want you to be upset."

"I know you like to fix everything and keep everyone happy, JT, but believe me, I'm fine. I'm happy that you're happy."

"Good," he said, satisfied that she was okay. "Now that we're close again, I don't want things getting messed up or complicated."

"Never," she promised…and meant it. "But I hope Emma won't have a problem with you and I being friends."

"She won't. And I'm sure the two of you will become friends again real quick."

"You're always the optimist, JT. Not always the realist."

"It'll happen," JT said confidently. "Trust me."

"Okay. But maybe not tonight. I doubt she wants to spend her first night of romantic involvement with you by riding in a car with me. Would it be terrible if I asked you to go ahead and ride back with Pat and Liberty now that everything's been worked out?"

"You're probably right, Manny. Right about tonight, that is. You two WILL get along again someday."

"Call me tomorrow and let me know how the rest of the evening went?"

"Sure. Thanks for coming out here and planning to cheer me up. If I'd still been upset, I'm sure you'd have been just the friend to help out."

"Yeah. I think so, too," Manny said.

She wasn't quite over her disappointment but was determined to work on it.

"Say 'Hi' to Craig for me if you see him again this weekend," JT requested. "You'll probably talk to him again before I will."

"I'll do that," Manny said as she got back into her car. "Goodbye, JT. And…be happy."

"Good night, Manny."

As Manny was driving away, Emma came into view and walked toward JT.

"Miss me?" she asked.

"It's been torture," JT replied, taking her hand. "Don't stay away so long like that again."

"Deal."

She then kissed him.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get tired of doing that," Emma remarked afterward.

"Just imagine how it will be when we both have more energy," JT suggested. "We need to get some food."

"JT, was that Manny's car I saw pulling out of the lot just now?" she questioned.

"Yeah, it was."

"What was SHE doing here?"

"Don't be mad. Craig couldn't leave so she volunteered to rescue me."

"That doesn't surprise me," Emma said sarcastically.

"Come on, it was nice of her. She thought I was stranded. But I told her everything worked out after all."

"So she knows about us?"

"And couldn't be happier."

"That's funny, JT."

"Hey, I believe she meant it."

"Okay," Emma said, looking doubtful.

"After all, she's the one who said I should tell you exactly how I feel about you," JT reminded her. "She wanted you and I to work everything out, and I know she's glad to learn that we have. But we both felt that until the two of you can – How do I put this delicately? – Until the two of you can be in the same place without the risk of someone ending up in the hospital – probably me – we decided it would be best if she not give us a ride home."

"Okay, maybe she IS looking out for us."

JT smiled.

"MAYBE," Emma repeated with greater emphasis. "Don't get too excited, JT."

"I'm standing next to you. How can I not get excited?"

"I can tell I'm going to have to watch my step around you, JT."

Both laughed.

"I'll try harder to get along with her," Emma then offered. "No promises, but I'll try."

"I'll take what I can get, my guardian angel."

"I'm glad you're happy, because I have a confession."

"Oh?"

"I didn't leave a note," she confessed.

"I see."

"I just couldn't torture them like that."

They started walking back toward the restaurant.

"Don't worry, though. I still got to scare them. But face to face instead."

"Evil Eye?" JT asked.

"Not full blast. But they DID get the angry look, too."

"Ouch! Not that."

"Don't worry, we sorted everything out and had a few laughs."

"That's good, Emma, because we still need a ride. Once they drop us off, do you want to go to Ryan's and grab a late non-steak meal, just the two of us?"

"Sounds great. I'll even let you order for me. I'm in one of my…What did you call it?…'old-fashioned romantic moods.'"

"I don't know," JT said, smiling. "You kinda scared me back in there. Maybe you should order for me."

"Okay, JT, but if I do, it will involve something with sprouts and all sorts of healthy green things that I KNOW you like so much."

"How nice. In that case, what would you like me to order for you when we get there?

"Now you're talking."

Reaching the building, they started to walk through the entrance door.

"Emma?"

"Yes, JT?"

"You're not…expecting to get me wrapped around your little finger, are you?"

Emma laughed.

"Who? Me?"

**Next Chapter** – Manny's having twins? JT finds religion? Emma eats a doughnut?


	12. The Morning After

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

****

Chapter 12--The Morning After

It was Sunday morning at the Nelson/Simpson home. Emma sat at the kitchen table eating a doughnut and reading. There was a knock on the back door. Putting down her book, Emma opened the door and found Courtney standing there.

"Hey! Come on in."

"I figured I'd better come over and see for myself exactly what's been going on this weekend."

"Oh?" Emma asked coyly as her friend entered the house. "What makes you think something's been going on?"

"Call it a hunch…or the fact that you don't normally call me up at 1:30 in the morning screaming 'It happened! It happened! Me and JT! We're me and JT!' I took that to mean you two finally came to your senses and became a couple. Then I hung up on you and went back to bed."

"Sorry about that," Emma responded. "I suppose I was a little excited."

"Just a little," Courtney teased as both of them sat down at the table.

"Be thankful. The family had to hear about it a lot longer."

"But they're happy for you, no doubt."

"My mom is thrilled," Emma confirmed. "Then again, JT IS the first guy I've gotten involved with that she really likes. Snake just walks around with that 'I told you so' smirk."

"Let me offer you my congratulations as well, Emma."

"I accept, and offer you one of these doughnuts in return."

"Thanks," Courtney said, grabbing a doughnut. "If YOU'RE actually eating a doughnut, things really must be worth celebrating."

"I've never said doughnuts didn't TASTE good; only that they aren't good from a health standpoint. Today just seemed like a day to splurge. Even so, JT will probably pass out in shock when he hears of today's strange breakfast choice."

"I take it this won't be a permanent change?"

"No," Emma replied. "My insides don't have to worry. It's merely a happiness-induced junk food fluke."

"It's quiet around here," Courtney then commented. "Where is everybody this morning?"

"My folks took Jack to the zoo today."

"Sounds like fun."

"But work for me," Emma remarked. "Once they get home, it's up to me to de-program my brother. Can't have him, no matter how young, thinking it's a good thing that all those animals are kept in cages and put on display for the public's amusement."

"Perish the thought."

"Don't mock."

"Okay, I'll leave the mocking up to JT. Oops, I guess I should say 'your boyfriend.'"

"That DOES have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"So where IS JT?" Courtney asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's see. This is your first full day together as a couple. It's a Sunday. I was expecting to find you two permanently attached and unable to let go."

Meanwhile at the Santos home, Manny was in her bedroom, still sleeping. But it was a restless sleep. She was tossing and turning. And dreaming.

She was dreaming of a house with a white picket fence and a swing on the front porch. Inside this house, Manny was doing housework wearing a formal dress and a pearl necklace. JT walked in through the front door wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase.

"Hi honey, I'm home," he announced.

Manny met him at the door with a martini.

"Hello darling," she greeted. "How was your day?"

"Wonderful," JT replied, setting his briefcase down. "I landed the Anderson account. Do you know what that means?"

"Partnership at the accounting firm?" she guessed.

"Yes. With a large increase in salary."

"That IS wonderful, JT."

"It won't be long before we can afford to make these dreams of yours in color instead of black-and-white."

"You're so generous."

"How is my family on this fine evening?" he asked.

"Today was report card day, JT. Little James T. Yorke Jr. got straight A's."

"Really? That's swell. JTJ is a real chip off the old block."

"And as you can see, I am still very much expecting."

JT looked his wife over and smiled.

"Eight and a half months pregnant with twins, and yet you still found time to clean the house and make a five-course meal. I'm so glad I married you. You are something else."

"I'll say she's something else!" Emma called out, suddenly coming into the living room from the kitchen.

"Why look, Manuela, it's Emma, our wacky next door neighbor. Hello, Emma!"

"Hello, handsome," the blonde said as she walked toward JT. "I couldn't help overhearing, as I was eavesdropping like a wacky neighbor should. Did you say you were about to become a full partner?"

"Yes indeedy."

"That's marvelous. Now you can afford that divorce attorney I recommended."

"Divorce attorney?" Manny asked.

"The best in the state," Emma told her.

"Are you sure that's wise, Emma?" JT asked. "I have a reputation to uphold in the community. People would think I couldn't maintain order in my home."

"The community understands your struggles," Emma explained. "One look at this pathetic little hussy and it's clear that she tricked you and trapped you. It's not your fault."

"But what about my children?" JT questioned Emma.

"Who could raise YOUR son better? Her…or me?"

"When you put it that way, there's only one answer. You. Only you, Emma."

"You can't mean that," Manny exclaimed. "I love you, JT."

Manny then kissed JT on the cheek.

"You see that, JT?" Emma asked, sounding outraged. "She kissed you on the cheek…and it's still light outside. She has no modesty. No class. As for the children she's carrying…even if she manages not to be careless enough to have yet another miscarriage, don't assume that the twins are really yours. You know she's never believed in being a faithful wife."

"That's not true, Emma. I've made mistakes but I've learned from them. I'm a better person now."

"You're right, Emma," JT said. "You're always right. How could I have been so blind for so long?"

"Don't give it a second thought," Emma told JT before turning her attention to his wife. "Manny, it's time for you to go. We'll pack up your belongings and leave them by the curb. You can collect them in the morning, if the garbage man hasn't picked it all up first. You won't be living here anymore. But you are still welcome to come back twice a week. For all your faults, you do an excellent job of cleaning house. And don't worry about JTJ. After I've moved in, he'll have a new mommy. One he can finally be proud of."

"No!" Manny shouted out in panic. "Wait! JT, tell her you love me! That I'm a good mother!"

"Goodbye, Manuela," he said instead. "Welcome to your new home, Emma."

"Stop! Stop!" Manny yelled as Emma was pushing her out the front door.

Suddenly Manny's eyes opened and she quickly sat up in bed.

"No!"

Now awake and her dream over, Manny looked around and found herself alone in her bedroom, tears in her eyes.

Back in the Nelson/Simpson kitchen, Emma continued talking to her friend about the recent turn of events.

"Courtney, you must watch too many romantic movies," she said.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. JT and I are together…finally. And I couldn't be happier. But we both still have too many responsibilities to just gaze into each other's eyes 24/7. I still have a little homework to finish up. JT was going to finish his early this morning before he went to church, which is where he is right now."

"I didn't know he went to church," Courtney remarked.

"It's the one his mother attended. He started going there back in the summer. Not regularly, but every once in awhile. He says it's peaceful for him and makes him feel closer to her."

"Good for him."

"Yeah, I agree," Emma said. "See, back in May, I'd tried to get him to go see the school counselor. I told him it could help him deal with things regarding his mother's death that, as his friends, neither Craig nor I would be equipped to help him with."

"JT didn't agree?"

"He said he felt our counselor probably couldn't help a girl depressed over a bad hair day, much less a student with real concerns. So he wouldn't go see her."

"That's funny, Emma, if uncharacteristically cynical for JT."

"I know, but who could blame him for a little cynicism after what had happened with his family. A mother who's just been killed, and a father who - by choice - is hardly ever around. I decided to let the idea of seeking help drop for awhile.

"Then in June, he decided to visit his mother's church, since she had liked spending time there. He said being in a quiet place and around people who were friends of hers has helped him deal with things. So now, maybe once a month, he'll attend a service there on a Sunday morning. It's probably the closest he'll get to something therapeutic."

"I'm glad things are working out for him," Courtney responded.

"So am I. Anyway, after church today he has just enough time to grab a quick meal before he's off to the theater to manage things in the office for a few hours. We ARE going to eat together tonight at his place, though."

"Uh-oh. Can he cook?"

"Courtney…"

"Because I KNOW you can't cook."

"We're ordering pizza," Emma explained.

"That sounds safe enough."

"So glad you approve."

"So, you won't get to spend a whole lot of time together today, but it sounds like you have everything under control. You take your romance when you can get it, I guess."

"True, but I'm telling you, Courtney, it all feels so right."

Emma started smiling.

"What is it, Emma?"

"Well, it's not like I haven't heard from him today. He did call first thing this morning."

"That doesn't sound so unusual for the two of you."

"Ah, but this morning he called just to tell me he loved me and would be thinking about me today."

"My, my, my. You really DID catch him, didn't you?"

"You better believe it," Emma said proudly.

"Oh, by the way, Emma, I saw Patrick this morning. He was helping out at Ryan's when I stopped in for some coffee before coming over here. He told me a little about your evening."

"Who would have guessed that one of the best nights of my life would take place at The House of Dead Cows."

"Maybe you should go back there every year as an anniversary," Courtney suggested jokingly.

"I'm not sentimental enough to ever go back to that steakhouse. But it did serve its purpose, I'll admit."

"I also heard that you nearly had a run-in with one of your favorite people."

"Ah yes," Emma said, rolling her eyes at the thought. "Man-Hungry Manny. Apparently I had just missed her. But it's not like we were in competition for JT and would have started pummeling each other in the parking lot. JT may be as skinny as Olive Oyl, but I'm not Popeye and Manny's not Bluto."

"But you do like spinach, Emma. Though I'll never understand why."

"Ha, Ha. Getting back to the point, a part of me would have been interested to see what kind of song and dance Manny did for JT last night. Too little, too late, as she soon found out. She has to face the fact that she had all the chances she's going to get."

"Think she'll cause you any trouble?"

"No," Emma replied confidently. "If only because she knows that JT won't put up with it, even from her. Besides, now that we're together, I'm secure enough to know that nothing can change that."

"Good for you!"

"That said, JT wants everyone to get along, so I've agreed to try to get along better with Manny."

"Then you might not want to call her 'Man-Hungry Manny' to her face."

"Give me SOME credit, Courtney. Besides, I never said it would happen immediately. First, I have to try to remind myself of Manny's good qualities. That alone could take weeks to figure out."

"You could say she has good taste in guys, since she fell for JT."

"If she had good enough taste," Emma countered, "she'd never have taken him for granted and thrown herself at other guys."

"And now the claws are back out."

"No, Courtney, not this time. Seriously, if JT wants everyone to be friends, I'll give it a shot. A better effort than I've made in the past. But enough talk about Manny. Once we were by ourselves having a real meal last night, JT and I had the best time."

"That's great."

"I don't know what you were so worried about on Friday, Courtney. I knew everything would be fine if JT and I simply started being honest with each other."

"Right, Emma. Suuure you did."


	13. Obligations

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks for all the reviews so far. To Giana – Yes, I've been thinking about becoming a writer, though I think I'd want to be a scriptwriter instead of a novelist.

**Chapter 13 -- Obligations**

Two weeks passed following Emma and JT's declarations to one another. At the Yorke home on a Friday evening in November, JT sat in the kitchen trying to make a phone call.

"Yes, I understand that he's a very busy man. I'm his son, not some stranger calling to hire him to take my case. Although maybe if I WAS a potential client, I might actually get to speak with him once in awhile. No, don't interrupt his meeting. It's nothing urgent. Yes, I'll leave a message. Tell him the last couple of weeks have been the happiest of my life and it would be nice to be able to tell him all that's been going on around here. Even if he IS too busy to get back to Toronto these days, he could at least pick up a phone once in awhile. It's not like I'm dead, too."

JT paused for a moment, took a deep breath, then resumed.

"Never mind. Cancel that message. Just tell my dad that I called to say 'Hi'. No, he shouldn't try to call me back tonight. I'll be unavailable for the rest of the evening. His son…JT. That's right, James T. Yorke. Thanks."

JT ended the call and put down the phone. Then, he picked up his tie off the table.

'Now for the REAL challenge of the evening,' JT thought, now smiling. 'Trying to get this stupid tie on the right way.'

At the Nelson/Simpson home, Spike and Snake were sitting together on the couch in the living room when they heard Emma calling from her basement bedroom.

"Is he here yet?" Emma shouted.

"No!" Spike answered, loud enough so Emma could hear. "You've still got plenty of time!"

"They eat together, either out or at his house or over here, most nights," Snake commented. "Any idea why she's so excited about this particular night?"

"Snake, they've been, as JT says, 'officially official' for about two weeks now, and this is their first time going someplace fancy together."

"The Burrito Hut sounded plenty fancy to me."

"I know, honey, but somehow I think Campanelli's will be more romantic."

"Yes, but you don't need a reservation to eat at The Burrito Hut."

"Oh, I have plenty of reservations about eating there, Snake."

"Very funny."

"All kidding aside," she continued, "I'm happy things seem to be going okay for the two of them."

"I agree," Snake said. "In just a few short years, Emma's gone from dating a juvenile delinquent intent on squandering his potential to falling for a likable best friend with decent grades, a steady job and a healthy bank account. A very healthy bank account."

"Snake, you're horrible!" Spike rolled her eyes. "You make it sound like Emma's a golddigger."

"Hey, I didn't mean it that way. I'm just saying that between the money JT inherited from his mother back in the spring and whatever funds he already had – which you know has to be sizable considering both his parents have built financially successful careers in the last few years – JT can feel a lot more secure about his future. The fact that he's stayed the same and has never acted like he's got the money makes me respect him all the more."

"That's true," Spike agreed.

"Plus, considering how hard he seems to work at that theater, I don't think he's the type who'd feel comfortable living the stereotypical rich man's life of leisure."

"Which is good, since Emma wouldn't want someone like that. No, JT seems to be the ideal person for Emma. They share the same core values. The same work ethic. They respect one another. And their quirks and differences all seem to balance out. And have you noticed how they really light up when they see one another?"

"All of which can only mean one thing, Spike."

"Exactly. It's bound to fall apart and end badly, probably followed by Emma learning she's pregnant."

Snake was surprised to hear her say this.

"Uh, I was going to say it can only mean they've finally found true love."

At the managerial office of The Movie Difference, Patrick sat talking on the phone.

"Everything's running smoothly, JT. Believe it or not, nothing's changed since you called ten minutes ago."

JT was in his car driving while talking to Patrick on his cell phone.

"Hey, if this were a Tuesday or Wednesday, that would be one thing. But it's Friday. This is the first Friday night I haven't been there in months. There's a lot to keep an eye on, Pat."

"You do remember that this place has been open since before you and I were even born. I think it can survive without your presence for a day."

"Oh, so now I'm irrelevant?"

"Stay calm, JT. I don't know why you're nervous. This isn't exactly your first date with Emma. You've been together every day for the last two weeks, even if it's sometimes just sharing lunch and some classes together; and you two hung out together most days as friends before that."

"But this IS my first chance to give her a real romantic dinner for two," JT reminded him.

"Hey, I know a certain steak place that would be perfect," Patrick joked.

"Don't start THAT again. I think you'd better leave the joke telling to me."

"Aww, you're no fun, JT."

"I think Emma might disagree with you about that."

"No doubt."

"Anyway, tonight, I want to be sure she's happy with me and that things are perfect. The restaurant, the conversation, everything. I never want her to start wondering if she's missing out on something – or someone – better by choosing to be with me."

"Stop worrying already," Patrick instructed. "She IS happy with you and things will be perfect…or as perfect as one can hope for when you're involved."

"Gee, thanks a lot."

"Relax. Just take a few deep breaths."

"I don't think so," JT said, now smirking. "Find someone else to give you an obscene phone call."

"Sounds like you're feeling better already."

"I just have to remember a few important things about what to do and what not to do in a fancy restaurant."

"Like what?"

"For instance, if I don't know which fork to use with which part of the meal, just keep dropping forks on the floor until I have to use the only one left for all the courses."

"Brilliant," Patrick responded sarcastically.

"If a violinist comes over to the table," JT continued, "I can't pay any attention to him because restaurant musicians are like strays. Once you show a tiny bit of interest, you can't get rid of them."

"Can't have that."

"Oh, and if the waiter speaks only in Italian, I should just nod and point to things on the menu."

"Good to see you've learned your lesson after trying to use Pig Latin on the waiter at that Mexican restaurant."

"And above all else, no putting straws up my nose and doing a walrus impression."

"I know it will be rough, JT. Just don't give in to that temptation."

"I'm pulling up to the house now."

"Oh, be sure and take the fuzzy dice off your rearview mirror and hide them in the glove compartment."

"Pat, I do NOT have a pair of fuzzy dice."

"Oh?"

"At least, not anymore," JT admitted. "I think Emma took them months ago and buried them, but she won't admit it."

"Good for her. Now have fun. And if you call back here again to check up on things, I'm putting you on permanent hold. So don't bother."

"Okay, Pat, but if anything should come up…Hello? Hellooo? Did he just hang up on me? Nah, we must have got cut off."

Inside the house, Snake was hoping Spike would elaborate on her comment about the young couple's chances for a successful relationship.

"Care to explain?" he asked.

"Snake, when two people really connect, it either crashes and burns, someone gets pregnant, or both."

"You're exaggerating."

"Need I remind you that her mother has had not one, but TWO unplanned pregnancies?"

"Considering the results of those pregnancies, Spike, I think you made out quite well."

"You know what I mean," she responded. "I could never regret having Emma and Jack. But I do wish I was better when it came to timing."

"I doubt she and JT are even thinking about sex," he suggested.

"And they actually let you teach? What planet are you from? They're almost 18 years old."

"A very mature almost-18."

"I know that. All the more reason for concern. The idea is bound to cross their minds if it hasn't already. And for all we know it might very well be a possibility tonight."

"Spike, they've only been together for two weeks."

"We both know they've been together a whole lot longer than that. They just didn't figure out it was a relationship until two weeks ago."

"I agree with that," he said. "Okay, IF anything of a sexual nature were to happen, whether tonight, next month, next year or whenever, they both know the risks and precautions involved. Both physical and emotional. And just to remind you, a knack for unexpected pregnancies isn't a gene you can pass down to Emma. But even on the off chance that it happened, can you really see JT bailing on Emma? Do you really think he's the kind of person who'd do that to her? And do you think she's the kind of young woman who'd let him get away with it even if he tried?"

"No, she isn't," Spike admitted. "And no, he wouldn't. And I hate it when you're right, especially when I'm acting ridiculous. I know Emma is old enough and bright enough to make good choices, whatever those choices are. JT too. I really am happy for them. Now don't tell Emma I was starting to get worried over nothing or she'll never let me hear the end of it. I'm supposed to be the cool mom of the neighborhood."

Snake laughed.

"I promise to keep your secret," he joked. "For a price…"

He then guided her body closer to his side of the couch.

"I like the way you think," Spike remarked.

"Hey, people who are almost 18 aren't the only ones with such thoughts frequently floating around in their heads," Snake explained.

"I can't argue with that."

They started kissing. Soon there was a knock on the front door, but they ignored it. Spike got up momentarily and gently pushed her husband until he was on his back on the couch. She then lay on top of him and they resumed kissing and holding onto one another.

JT, on the other side of the door, knocked again. Emma came upstairs wearing a blue dress. She noticed her mother and stepfather preoccupied on the couch and she rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you two hear the door?"

Hearing Emma's voice, the couple started to break apart.

"What's that, Em?" Spike asked, startled and out of breath.

"I was afraid I'd have to turn the garden hose on the two of you. Please try to control yourselves for a few minutes. JT's here!"

Emma then went and opened the door.

"Hi JT," she greeted upon seeing him.

JT looked at Emma for a moment, temporarily forgetting how to put words together.

"Wow!" he finally exclaimed. "Err, I mean…Hey Emma. You look great!"

"Thanks," Emma replied, pleased with JT's positive reaction.

"Oh, not that I mean it to sound like I'm surprised," he quickly added. "Because you always look great, Emma. Greater than great. Greattastic! I just mean…"

Emma laughed.

"You can untie your tongue, JT. I know how you meant it, and I appreciate it. You're looking rather 'wow' yourself. Come on in."

The older couple, still sprawled on the couch, struggled to stand up.

"You'll have to excuse them," Emma cautioned JT. "I think they believe it's mating season around here. Thankfully they're still fully clothed."

"Don't be silly," Spike responded. "We were just…a little preoccupied, and we didn't hear the knock on the door. Hi JT"

"Evening, JT," Snake added. "There's something different about you tonight. The suit maybe?"

"Probably that whole lack of oxygen thing," JT joked, pointing toward his necktie. "They call them ties, but it feels more like a noose."

"I hear ya," Snake agreed.

"I'm not late am I?" JT then asked his girlfriend.

"No," Emma assured him. "In fact you're a little early."

"Even more remarkable, JT," Snake offered, "is the fact that you're dating a woman who's actually ready to go when you get here. Don't count on that happening too often."

"Keep talking, Snake, and JT won't be the only one having trouble breathing tonight," Spike warned. "You have no idea the hassle women go through to…"

"As much as we'd love to stay and watch the latest Battle of the Sexes," Emma interrupted, "JT and I should go."

"See you later," JT said as he and Emma turned to leave.

After the couple left, Spike pulled Snake back over to the couch.

"I thought they'd never leave," she said to him, smiling. "Now, where were we?"

Outside, JT and Emma kissed for several moments then walked toward his car.

"So, do you need to stop by the theater on the way?" she asked. "Make sure everything's all right?"

"What, you think I'm worried? Pat's taking care of my duties over there tonight. I haven't given that place a second thought."

"Uh-huh. You know, it's not nice to lie to your girlfriend, especially when she might just decide to order all the most expensive items on the menu to get back at you."

"I'm going to have to avoid you in another month," JT joked. "I'll never be able to keep secret whatever I decide to get you for Christmas. I can't get away with anything around you."

"Aww, poor thing."

"Don't worry, Emma. After my fourth phone call in the last hour, Patrick's decided to ignore me. So we won't be stopping along the way."

"Good."

The two got into the car.

"Say, Emma, do you remember that pair of dice I used to have?" he asked as they both were fastening their seat belts.

"Dice?"

"Yeah, the big fuzzy ones. You don't know whatever happened to them, do you?"

"No comment," she replied knowingly. "Just start driving."


	14. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

**Note:** This chapter is made up of four scenes, each separated by a line inserted to indicate a transition to a later portion of the meal. (Hope that makes sense, but I'm sure you'll figure it out anyway.)

**Chapter 14 -- Scenes From An Italian Restaurant**

JT and Emma entered Campanelli's and walked over to the maitre d'.

"We have a reservation under Yorke," JT told the man. "That's 'Yorke' with an 'e'. Specifically, an 'e' on the end."

"What are you going on about?" Emma asked.

"Well, you could put the 'e' someplace else, but then you might end up with 'Yerk' and a lonely, abandoned 'o.'"

Emma rolled her eyes.

The maitre d' scanned his records.

"Yorke. Ah, yes. The special reservation. Come right this way."

"What does he mean by 'special reservation,' JT?"

Her boyfriend shrugged his shoulders in response. But, after Emma turned to follow the maitre d', JT smiled. The couple followed the man past several rooms filled with customers. They finally reached another room that would be their destination and the couple was seated.

"Your waiter will be with you momentarily. What would you like to drink?"

JT looked toward Emma.

"Iced tea," she answered.

"I'll have a Coke," JT followed.

"Very good, sir. Enjoy your meal."

After the maitre d' left, Emma looked around the room.

"JT, do you notice anything peculiar?"

"You don't like it here?"

"No, it's very nice. But we're the only ones in this room. The three other tables are empty."

"There's that strong power of observation you have that I love so much," JT teased. "It only took you 30 seconds to realize we're alone in here."

"Not funny. What's going on, JT?"

"I'm sad to say we've developed a bit of a reputation. Word spread that we make a habit of having loud conversations in restaurants, storming in and out from the parking lot, and then not eating a thing. Thanks to our little escapade at Steak & Stuff, our pictures are plastered on the wall of every major restaurant in town. From now on, anytime we go somewhere to eat we'll be forced into a room alone and away from civilized society."

Emma then gave him a look that clearly said she wasn't buying a single word of that explanation.

"Or maybe when I made a reservation, I went the extra mile, did some talking and some arranging and…here you go, Emma. Some candlelight, good food, and best of all…ME!"

Emma smiled, amazed at the lengths JT went to for her.

"Sounds perfect, JT. Even the part about you."

"All with complete privacy, Emma. Without some smoker at a nearby table coughing up a lung."

"Thanks for giving me THAT mental image."

"No crying babies," he continued. "No crazed double-daters. Just us. What do you think?

"Well, I GUESS I can live with eating alone with you in such an incredibly romantic setting. But just this once."

Though Emma's words were sarcastic, her smile gave her away and JT knew she was pleased. Still, JT played along.

"Oh, certainly, Emma. We wouldn't want this to become a regular thing. After tonight, it's back to eating at bus terminals and the school caf."

"Yes, Degrassi's caf does have a unique atmosphere."

"Yeah, Emma, and I think it's called bug spray."

Their waiter entered the room with their drinks, introduced himself and set the drinks on the table.

"Are you ready for your menus?" he asked the couple.

"Give us a couple more minutes," JT replied.

As the waiter left, JT looked over at Emma.

"Seriously, is this okay?"

"Way above and beyond the call, JT. I've never even been here before. And now, with all that you've put together here so that it's just us, it's even more wonderful than I could have imagined."

"And I don't hear any violinists, so we're safe."

"Safe?"

"Nothing, Emma. Just making sure everything tonight is perfect."

Emma reached across the table and grabbed one of JT's hands.

"It's been perfect since I opened my front door tonight."

* * *

Emma was busy eating her salad.

"So, Emma, when do you have to give your class presentation?

"Monday."

"And it's about musical animals? What is that? Like circus animals?"

"JT, do you even TRY to listen when I describe things?"

"I'm sorry, did you just say something?"

Emma laughed.

"Figures. No, not musical animals. It's about the effect that different types of music have on animals. After the zoo trip that Jack and my folks took, I got to thinking. I became curious, so I checked around on the Web, then made a few phone calls and talked to some of the local zookeepers."

"Hope you didn't tell off the zoo people before you got your info."

"I was very nice and didn't say a word about my feelings regarding animals and cages."

In response, JT clutched his heart.

"Stop that!" Emma laughed.

"Just a little shocked."

"I really can withhold my opinions," she insisted. "I don't always have to let everyone know everything."

"…Said the woman who not five minutes ago stuck her tongue out at me when I ordered meatballs with my spaghetti."

"Withholding my opinions only works for strangers who might be able to help me, so you're out of luck."

"I knew there had to be a catch."

"Hey, aren't you going to eat your salad?"

"I AM eating it, Emma."

"You haven't touched it. Not even to pick at it."

JT looked down at the two forks to the left of his plate.

"Remember what we've talked about, JT. Just because there's a lot of green stuff on your plate, that doesn't mean it's really a slime creature planning a sneak attack."

"Hmm? Oh, right. That's good to know."

JT put his hand on one of the forks.

"By the way," she added, "you don't have to…ahem…accidentally drop one of those on the floor."

"Um, what are you talking about?" he asked even though he knew she was onto him.

"What, you think I'm some kind of etiquette drill sergeant? JT, it doesn't matter to me what fork you choose for which part of the meal. Use a spoon for all I care. Now when your main course arrives later, if you start picking up spaghetti with your hands I might have to pour my drink on your head. But otherwise, don't worry about it."

"Wouldn't want to look dumb in front of you," JT confessed.

"That's never stopped you before," Emma said with a smile.

"True. Hey, how did you know what I was about to do?"

"You still don't know the extent of my powers?" she kidded him. "I'm all-seeing. All-knowing. Want me to give away the punchlines to three of the jokes you're going to tell tomorrow?"

JT laughed.

"Actually," she continued in a more serious tone, "I just saw that look in your eyes, as well as your hand inching closer to the utensil. Then I remembered you once told me of your little fork-tossing method, which you came up with for when you'd sometimes have to go out with your parents to one of their business dinners. You'd see these table settings with three forks and a couple of spoons, and you'd rather be thought of as a klutz who keeps dropping things than have someone think you didn't know what you were doing."

"I forgot you know that secret, too, Emma. That's been years, though."

"And I see some things never change."

"You know I love the classics."

"I remember a lot of things you've told me over the years, JT."

"And it will all come back to haunt me, right?"

"You better believe it."

"Then I'm lucky you only use your powers for good," he joked.

"Just remember, you don't have to worry about little things like not knowing which fork is which. I'm not Melanie."

"I know, and thank God for that. To return the favor, I can promise that you don't ever have to worry about me breaking out into hip-hop grooves on the spur of the moment."

Emma laughed.

"No Chris-isms from me, Emma.

"Please, no reminders of that guy."

"Sorry, but you know how much fun it is to torture you."

"And you do it so well," she responded. "I know that I was on the rebound at the time, but I think I must have completely lost my mind to get mixed up with that wannabe deejay with the phony charm. I'm glad it was just a phase. Chris and the others are ancient history, I'm happy to say."

"So am I. Not to sound all judgmental, but I never did like any of your boyfriends."

"Oh?"

"Never good enough for you," JT explained. "Not even close."

"I seem to remember saying something awfully similar to you awhile back about your own dating history."

"There you go, Emma. Something else we have in common."

JT raised his glass.

"Here's to ancient history."

Emma then raised her glass.

"Never to bother us again," she added to his words.

They clinked glasses and drank. Emma then raised hers again.

"And now here's to us. It took us awhile, but we're finally where we're supposed to be."

"I'll drink to that," JT said.

"Hey, JT, even though you were joking, it's not a bad idea."

"What's not a bad idea? I have so many bad ideas, I need to know which bad idea was actually a good one."

"A school report about circus animals. How they're treated. That can be my next project."

"Sounds great, Emma. And I'll help."

"You will?"

"Of course! I've always wanted to meet Igor the Man With No Neck, and his two-headed goat. Then there's the bearded lady."

"JT, you're thinking of a freak show, not a circus."

"Details, details. Don't bother me with details."

"Just eat your salad."

* * *

"How's the lasagna, Emma?"

"The best. What about your spaghetti?"

"Very good. You know, I'm glad you're not one of those girlfriends who thinks we should feed each other some of the food off our plates."

"Aside from that being a rather unsanitary practice, I'm greedy. When the food is good, I want to keep it all to myself."

"I know what you mean. Besides, I can be a messy enough eater all by myself. Who needs the burden of being messy for two people?"

Emma laughed.

"You seem to be doing a good job of keeping the food in your mouth and not on your face," she remarked.

"A concentrated effort, Emma, I assure you."

"JT, speaking of ways in which we're not like other couples, there IS one thing I've been a little concerned about."

Hearing that made JT nervous.

"What's wrong? What did I do?"

Emma grabbed JT's hand to reassure him.

"No, nothing's wrong. And YOU certainly haven't done anything wrong. You're terrific."

"Then what is it, Emma?"

"I've just been thinking about how when most couples start going out, chances are they haven't known each other for a long time. Or at least not very well. They spend months just learning the basics about one another. So they have plenty to talk about long before they have to start thinking of possible discussion topics."

"Okay…"

"But you and I…We've been a close part of each other's lives since kindergarten."

"Still not seeing a problem," JT interjected.

"We already know all that introductory information. We know so much about each other. I was just thinking that after awhile we might find we don't have much left to talk about. And if that happens, you'll get bored with me."

JT kissed Emma's hand.

"Emma, I love that you think so much, but any more thoughts like that and I'll have to find a machine to neutralize your brain."

"JT…"

"Hey," he stopped he before she could object, "this is my turn to ramble."

"Okay."

"You're right, Emma. We're way ahead of the game. We don't have to bother discussing our favorite color, our hobbies and our family backgrounds. We each know what the other does best at in school. We know a ton of stuff about each other. If you ask me, that's a GOOD thing. It means we've gotten all that out of the way and we get to avoid the awkwardness and guessing games of the first month of a relationship."

Emma smiled.

"Instead," JT continued, "we get to focus on the bigger things. The really interesting stuff."

"Like inner thoughts and feelings?"

"I was thinking more of my endless supply of jokes and classic comedy information, along with your never-ending tree trivia. But yeah, thoughts and feelings – that's okay to talk about too, I guess."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Kidding," he said. "But my point, before I forget it, is that two of the things about us that I'm most sure about are that we love each other very much, and that we are NEVER going to be at a loss for words. Just tonight we've learned things we didn't already know about each other, so it's not like we know everything there is to know. And there's always going to be more stuff to find out. Emma Nelson, you are way too interesting and fun for me to ever get bored. I may get tongue-tied around you sometimes, but I'll never run out of things that I want to tell you."

"You are a very nice guy, JT Yorke."

"And don't forget a very strange guy," he suggested.

"That too. But definitely not boring. I guess I won't run out of things to talk to you about either."

"I'm glad. Now if you're feeling better about things, can we get back to eating?"

"Of course, JT."

"Good. Can you pass the salt?"

"You don't really want that, do you?" she questioned.

"No, I thought you could pass it to me just for kicks."

"You don't need salt on your food. I'm sure it's got plenty of flavor as it is."

"There's nothing wrong with a little salt."

"JT, I could recite a whole list of reasons why you…"

"Emma?" JT interrupted, smiling.

"Yes?"

"Sometimes you talk too much."

* * *

"JT, I can't get over this room."

"Yeah, that's the good thing about dining by candlelight…even if the room's a mess, who can see it?"

"No, I mean it's so elegant. Look at some of those paintings they've got on the walls. All the detail."

"Not exactly 'Dogs Playing Poker,' but they're okay."

"You don't fool me," she said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Emma."

"You can pretend all you want, but you're just a great big romantic. You'd have to be to set this evening up."

"Nah, it was either come here, or enjoy the franks & beans special at the bowling alley. I just didn't feel like wearing rented shoes tonight."

"Whatever, JT."

The waiter entered.

"Would you like to look at the dessert menu?"

"I don't know. Emma?"

"Tempting, but I couldn't. But I'd like some coffee, though."

"Make that two coffees," JT instructed.

Then the waiter left.

"You didn't have to skip dessert just because I passed."

"No, I'm fine, Emma."

"You may change your mind after you hear what I'm going to say."

"Uh-oh," he said, growing curious.

"You've noticed the music they have playing in the background?" she asked.

"Emma, you know I only pay attention whenever I'm talking. I tune everything else out."

Emma wanted to laugh but decided to act serious.

"Keep talking like that, JT, and you'll develop a different kind of fork fear because I'll stab your hand with one."

"Of course I've heard the music," JT answered seriously this time. "I don't know the names of any of the songs. They're mostly instrumental songs. But nice. Well, except when they put on some of that Italian opera music for a few minutes. Nobody needs to hear that sort of thing, especially while they're trying to eat."

"Dance with me, JT."

"But then most instrumental background music is nice…as long as it's not Muzak."

"I said I want you to dance with me."

JT looked at his watch.

"My, will you look at the time?"

"Come on," she urged.

"I can't dance, Emma. You know that."

"No, you DON'T dance. Big difference."

"Sure."

"You COULD do it if you really wanted to."

"Emma, me dancing is like you working in a kitchen. Bad idea and potentially dangerous."

"Well, if you're not going to even try…"

JT groaned.

"Don't go into pout mode, Emma. You know I can't take it when you do that."

"No, if you're not interested in trying something that would make me extremely happy, I won't say another word about it."

"Okay, okay. I'll try. Just stop with the look that's like you just lost your best friend."

"Good," Emma said, now all smiles.

"Emma, you're the only person I know whose facial expressions can move mountains. And your silences are deafening."

"Isn't it wonderful?"

JT groaned again.

"Don't worry, JT. You know I don't abuse the gift. But in this case you'll be glad I convinced you."

"Convinced? Don't you mean bullied?"

"Details, details. Don't bother me with details," Emma replied, mimicking JT and his earlier comment. "Besides, it's not as though you've never set foot on a dance floor."

"What?" JT asked curiously.

"At the end of Grade 8," she elaborated. "With Liberty."

"Moving around a gym floor for one night only with a friend who's not my girlfriend while hoping I wouldn't fall on my face - or my butt - doesn't exactly make me Gene Kelly," he offered.

"But it does prove that your body is not completely incapable of moving in a dance-like formation," Emma countered.

"Just don't say I didn't warn you," JT said as they stood up and moved away from the table.

"Anyway, it's just us in here," Emma attempted to reassure JT. "You've got nothing to be worried about."

"Our waiter could come back at any time," JT suggested.

"No more excuses. Now this is a nice slow song. No need for any fancy moves. We'll just try something simple."

"Emma, just trying to stay on my feet will be a fancy move."

"Okay, JT, just put your hands on my waist, like this."

JT then followed her instruction.

"Now," she continued, "I'll put my hands on your shoulders, like this. Don't look down at the floor."

"Your feet will be sorry if I don't look down there," the young man warned.

"You're not going to hurt me," Emma responded confidently. "Don't think too hard about it and you won't have any problems. Listen to the music and look at me. Then just start moving to the music."

"Okay," he said, feeling nervous.

"That's good, JT. Now that we're moving a little back and forth in one place, let's take a few small steps. To get you used to moving around a little like you might on a dance floor. You guide me. There you go. You're doing great. Now back a little in the other direction. That's it. Slow and steady."

'Ouch!' Emma thought. 'Right on the little toe. Just can't let Jamie read anything about it on my face.'

"Is this okay, Emma?"

"Yeah," she replied. "We won't get into complex things like dipping and spinning around tonight. Don't worry, the competition isn't for a whole week."

"Funny."

Emma kissed JT as they continued to slowly move back and forth. The waiter entered with their coffee, set it down and left without disturbing them.

"I knew you could do it if you gave yourself a chance," Emma soon commented.

"That makes one of us."

"JT, you should know by now you can accomplish anything that you want. But even if you still don't grasp that, I'll always be here to remind you."

"Works both ways, Emma. But even though I know you can save the world all by yourself, I just hope you'll always bring me along for the ride."

"You are NOT going to make me cry," she cautioned, all the while feeling extremely happy with the evening.

"I'm just saying…" he continued. "I mean, we DO have those freak shows to visit."

Emma rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"Oh, you are SO in trouble after this dance, JT."


	15. Roll With The Changes

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks for the great reviews. I appreciate the feedback and hope you'll continue to let me know what you think of the story. I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

****

Chapter 15 -- Roll With The Changes

Emma and JT were sitting at their table in Campanelli's.

"He must be really annoyed with us," Emma said with a look of guilt.

"Emma, I'm sure the waiter is used to customers changing their minds," JT assured. "I doubt he was bothered that you decided you wanted to order some dessert after all."

"I know, but…"

"Besides," he interrupted, "it's not like he's going to suffer much. He's already going to get a good tip."

Satisfied, Emma once more began to smile.

"I can't believe we danced for 15 minutes straight," she remarked. "I didn't think I'd get you to stay standing for one full song. Then the next thing I know, it's several songs later."

"Are your feet okay, Emma? I think I stepped on at least one of them once or twice."

"You did?" she asked, sounding surprised.

'Try at least 6 or 7 times,' Emma thought to herself. 'But it was all worth it.'

"No, JT," she then said, "my feet are fine. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not saying I want to start doing that on a regular basis or anything," JT cautioned, "but I had fun dancing with you, and I can't believe we lost track of time like that. I guess you were right about me dancing."

"See? You should go ahead and get a tattoo saying 'Emma is right'. Then you won't need so much convincing in the future."

"Except you can't stand tattoos," he reminded her.

Emma laughed.

"I see you still think you have an answer for everything," she said sarcastically.

"No, but I think I know you very well."

"Yes you do, JT, and I'm very glad that you do. Well, most of the time."

"But that doesn't mean you aren't full of surprises," he added. "You're not usually big on desserts."

"Despite what you said before, I think you wanted dessert but passed because I didn't order any," she explained. "Also, after all that dancing, some cheesecake sounded like a good idea."

With his right hand, JT reached across the table and took hold of her left hand.

"Emma, do you know what I wish?" he then asked.

"That you owned your own theater, if only so you'd have access to all the free popcorn you could ever want?"

"Well yeah, there's that. And I love that popcorn idea, but I wouldn't want to cut into my profits. Besides that, I'd be able to try and show all the older movies I think should be back on the big screen, and then…Hey, you're getting me off track!"

"You were BORN off track," Emma joked.

"I resemble that remark," he replied lightheartedly before returning to his more serious thought. "No, what I wish is that we could spend the whole day together tomorrow."

"I do, too," she responded. "But I have to put the finishing touches on my presentation."

"I bet it's already perfect," JT said confidently. "Not that that's going to stop you from going over everything in your mind again and again."

"You're lucky that you got to give yours today," Emma commented. "Researching the transition from silent movies to talkies was really interesting."

"You and a few others liked it, and thankfully Mr. Simpson liked it, but I don't think most of the others have any interest in movies that came out before last weekend, much less hearing about film history."

"JT, you put enough jokes in your presentation to keep everyone's attention. Anyway, I think the others will gladly take your film research reports over my latest animal investigations any day."

"We both like to do our own thing, Emma, whether anyone else is interested or not. Works for me. And I know it does for you as well."

Emma knew that he was absolutely correct. She had always felt that JT understood her better than just about anyone, and she was pleased that this had continued to be the case even as their relationship was evolving.

"Very true," she confirmed. "As for tomorrow, there's also the fact that you're going to be busy working. Work that I know you enjoy very much. The time will fly by, and then we'll see each other in the afternoon as always."

"You're right," he admitted.

"See? Just keep saying that and you won't need that tattoo after all."

JT laughed.

"But it IS nice to know that you're going to miss me for awhile tomorrow. Believe me, JT, I will too."

"You'll miss yourself as much as I'll miss you?" JT questioned, pretending to sound confused.

"No, silly! I meant that I'll miss you too."

"That makes a little more sense."

Emma shook her head.

"Keep acting so silly, JT, and…"

"And what?" he challenged.

"AND…I'll miss you even more."

"You were going to say something much more sarcastic, weren't you?" he kidded her.

"I gave in to romantic thoughts instead. But don't worry, I'll make up for it and say something extra sarcastic next time."

"Looking forward to it, Emma. Hey, at least I have the next day off. Think you can stomach being around me a little more than usual this Sunday?"

"Just try and stop me, Mr. Yorke."

Still looking across at her boyfriend, Emma heard someone walking into the room.

"And speaking of stomachs," she said, turning her head toward the door, "I hope yours is ready. It looks like the waiter has arrived with dessert."

Manny, meanwhile, walked into Ryan's Grille. Once inside, the first person she saw was Patrick's mother, Helen Ryan, taking care of customers at a table near the door. She then walked over to the counter and ordered a Coke.

"If you need anything else," Mrs. Ryan told the customers, "just let me know."

The woman turned around and noticed Manny standing at the counter receiving her drink.

"Why hello, Manny," she greeted while walking toward the counter. "It's been days since I've seen you in here."

"Hi, Mrs. Ryan. We keep missing each other. You've either been back in the kitchen or away the last few times I've been in."

"Here by yourself tonight?"

"Yeah, but what else is new lately? Then again, I can usually count on your husband to flirt with me."

"That man!" Mrs. Ryan said, laughing. "I think the real reason he wanted to open a restaurant was to flirt with all the beautiful young women in the neighborhood who come in here."

"Hey, after over 20 years of marriage, you must be doing something right to keep his interest."

"Yes," Mrs. Ryan confirmed. "Now if I could just remember what that was."

Both women laughed.

"Where IS Mr. Ryan tonight?" Manny then asked.

"He's in the storeroom doing inventory."

"Sounds awful."

"Oh yes, it's one of his least favorite things to do. But it has to get done at some point, and this time he can't try to bribe Patrick into doing it since he's busy working over at the cinema. Now, what can I get you to eat?"

"Cheeseburger and fries?"

"Done. Go find an empty table or booth and I'll bring it out in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

Manny turned around and looked over the room for a good table that was free. In a corner she noticed a young woman sitting alone facing Manny's direction with a book in front of her face. Manny looked closer and walked over toward the table with her drink.

"Courtney? Is that you?"

For a moment, there was no response.

"Hello, Manny," Courtney finally said with reluctance. Annoyed, she kept the book in front of her face.

"What are you up to this evening?" Manny asked.

"I think with this book in front of me it's obvious," Courtney replied, putting her book down on the table. "I'm windsurfing."

"Reading on a Friday night? You must have a lot of homework to get done."

"Actually, I'm just one of those people who likes to read, even if it's not something that's assigned. I'm crazy that way. Tell me, Manny, in what way are YOU crazy?"

"You have a sense of humor," Manny responded. "I had a feeling we'd get along. Mind if I sit down?"

"I don't mind. In fact, I think I see a nice empty table for you to sit at over…"

Manny sat down, oblivious to the fact that Courtney was trying to encourage her to go elsewhere.

"Or…you could sit right here," Courtney said in defeat.

"Thanks," Manny said happily.

Courtney sighed in frustration.

"Isn't this nice?" Manny asked.

"Nice wouldn't be the exact word I'd use," Courtney replied sarcastically. "Just so you know, JT and Emma are out for the night. If you're hoping they'll come in here later, it's not going to happen."

"I wasn't expecting them to."

"Difficult to believe, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

The two women looked across the table at one another.

"I know you must find this awkward," Manny commented.

"What's that?"

"Me, the person who used to be Emma's best friend, talking to you, the person who is now Emma's best friend."

"I'm not Emma's best friend," Courtney quickly corrected. "That would be JT."

"No, he's her boyfriend now," Manny countered.

"Emma says he's both, which is good enough for me. Anyway, I don't do the whole 'best friends' thing."

"What do you mean?" Manny asked, confused.

"It's fine for other people," Courtney explained. "But to me, a friend is a friend. I don't want to rate them in order of importance. I have close friends and then other friends I like but may not get to spend that much time with."

"And is Emma one of those close friends?"

"Yes."

"Emma used to be my best friend," Manny lamented. "Then we started fighting. For the past few years she's hated me, even when I've tried to be her friend again."

"Why in the world are you telling me this, Manny? Why are you even at my table? In case you've forgotten, we're not close."

"I've been having these bad dreams lately, so a few days ago my friend Craig said that I should get out and try to make more friends. The right way this time. Talk to people I don't usually talk to."

"So why me?" Courtney asked.

"We know some of the same people. And you seem like you wouldn't be the kind to judge people because of their past."

"And another reason to choose me is because some of those people we both know happen to be JT and Emma?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Manny replied.

Courtney started laughing.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Courtney said, still laughing a little. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. Let me ask you something. It's really none of my business, but since you seem to want to make it my business, I want to know – How many different times did you and JT go together?"

"Three," Manny answered.

"And what about with Craig Manning?"

"Three."

"A tie," Courtney remarked. "I wonder who you'll try to go back to next to break that tie."

"It's not like that," Manny protested. "I'm not involved with either one anymore. They're just my friends now. My two best friends."

"I don't know Craig all that well," Courtney said. "We've only talked a few times, and I've seen his band perform a time or two. They're a bit overrated, but the drummer…What's his name? Spindle?"

"Spinner," Manny corrected.

"Yeah, that's the one. He's kind of cute. Stupid name, though. Anyway, I only kinda know Craig. I know JT better. Believe me when I say that I do hope you'll write a book someday. Or at least a script for a TV mini-series."

"How come?"

"No offense, Manny, but I'd really like to learn your secret."

"What secret?"

"How you've managed to keep moving between these two otherwise levelheaded guys like a ping-pong ball for the past few years."

"What?" Manny asked, growing confused.

"Despite all the back and forth and betrayal on your part, it seems they've still been drawn to you and kept trying over and over to have a relationship with you. Surprisingly, they're good friends with one another. And after everything that's happened, they each still maintain a good friendship with you and even defend you to everyone who criticizes you."

"So?"

"How does that work exactly? I've never seen another girl able to have such an effect on two people who know better."

"I don't know, Courtney. I've never really thought about it. Not like that. Things always just seem to happen, but then everything works itself out."

"Except now the game has changed, hasn't it?" Courtney suggested.

"Huh?"

"You had a miscarriage, which seems to have pretty much ended things for you and Craig. And JT and Emma finally woke up and changed their friendship into a full-fledged romance. Your two guys are now off-limits, except as your friends. You feel like you're stuck."

"Maybe," Manny admitted. "But you don't have to be so mean about it."

"I'm not being mean. I just think you need to face reality."

"My reality is I lost Emma. I lost my baby. I can't lose my two best friends, too. Why do you and Emma want me to end up all alone?"

Before Courtney could respond, Mrs. Ryan brought Manny's food over to the table.

"Here you go, dear."

"Thanks."

"Can I get you anything else, Courtney?"

"Not right now, thanks."

"Let me know if either of you need anything."

Mrs. Ryan walked away, and Manny's accusatory question was still unanswered.

"You are really something, Manny," Courtney said.

"Thanks," Manny smiled, not catching the sarcastic tone of the comment.

"It wasn't meant as a compliment," Courtney corrected. "I don't think you ever have to worry about losing Craig and JT. For whatever reason, they both seem determined to let you stay a part of their lives as a friend. And Emma is trying to be nice to you again, isn't she?"

"We HAVE talked several times this week without arguing. I'm sure that must be due to JT's influence."

"Probably. Whatever the reason, I'm sure she doesn't hate you. You're hardly going to end up alone, and nobody wants you to. There's no great conspiracy against you. But you're not going to be a good enough friend to anyone until you get your head together."

"How's that?"

Courtney looked into Manny's eyes, making sure Manny was truly paying attention.

"Whatever your issues, Manny – GET OVER IT! It's gotten old. The past is the past, and dreams are just dreams. You've told people you want to move on, so quit talking about it and just do it. From what Emma has said, when you're not obsessing over men you can't have or over the rotten guys you shouldn't want, you're not a bad person to talk to."

"So you and I could be friends?" Manny asked.

"Let's not get carried away. I'm pretty sure your motive in approaching me wasn't the best. Still, you HAVE made a good start by interacting with more people, including me, and by not trying to mess up things for Emma and JT. Give Emma time and she might even start to think of you as a friend again someday."

"I hope so."

That said, Manny finally took her first bite of her cheeseburger. While doing so, a new thought occurred to her.

"Hey, Courtney, since you and I are getting along and being honest with each other…"

"Yes?"

"Level with me. Have you ever thought about JT? I mean REALLY thought about him."

"No."

"Really? Not even a little?"

"Oh, he's a good friend and nice to look at and all, but that bond with Emma has been there ever since I've known them, so I've never given those kind of ideas any real thought. Besides, he talks so much."

Manny laughed.

"Give me the quiet type," Courtney continued. "Emma's the only woman I know who also talks just as much as JT, so she's probably the only one who could keep up with him. They banter more than couples twice their age, and on every conceivable subject."

"Not to mention every inconceivable subject," Manny added.

"Those, too."

Later, at Campanelli's, JT left a generous tip for the waiter and paid the bill. It was a rather large bill, considering he reserved one of the rooms for just the two of them, but JT knew it was worth every penny. He and Emma then made their way out the front door.

"Nicely done, Mr. Yorke," she said. "This evening was everything I could want and more."

JT took Emma's hand.

"Thank you, fair maiden."

He then kissed her hand.

"I'm all for modesty, JT, but a hand kiss just won't do."

Emma grabbed JT, catching him by surprise, and kissed him for several moments.

"Why Miss Nelson," he said once the kiss was over, "you're making me all light-headed."

"How is that any different than your normal behavior?" she teased.

"Very funny."

"Hey, I've learned all about witty comebacks from the master."

"Well tell Groucho to get his own girl," he joked, causing Emma to laugh.

The couple then walked arm-in-arm through the parking lot in the direction of JT's car.

"Is there anywhere else you'd like to go tonight, Emma? A late movie? A long drive? Maybe go to the museum and check out that new exhibit of navel lint from around the world?"

"No thanks."

"You're right, I'm sure the museum's closed by now. We could always go to the all-night laundromat. I'm sure there's plenty of lint around there."

"Very exciting, I'm sure, but I'll pass. Actually, I was thinking it's about time I get you to bed, JT. Don't you agree?"

JT's eyes widened in surprise.


	16. Em Appeal

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks to everyone for sticking with this story so far, and special thanks to those who've given reviews, which are always a source of encouragement.

Chapter 16 -- Em Appeal

JT and Emma stood outside JT's car, in the Campanelli's parking lot.

"Emma, did you, um, say 'to bed?'" he asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yes," she answered decisively. "I think that would be best. Don't you?"

"I had no idea you were even thinking about such things."

"One of us has to, JT. If it was up to you, we'd be out all night, and then you'd go to work tomorrow morning completely exhausted."

"Huh?"

"If you were so tired you fell off the ladder while changing the movie signs and then cracked your head open, I'd never forgive you," she kidded him. "As much as I'd love to keep this night going, I want to get you back to your house. I'll then go home and you can get some well-deserved sleep."

"Oh," JT responded, having gradually started to realize what Emma meant. "Right. Yes, that makes a lot of sense."

The pair then got into the car and left the restaurant.

"You sure got quiet all of a sudden," Emma commented while JT was driving. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just got confused for a moment back there. Me confused – nothing surprising about that."

"Oh."

Emma thought for a moment, then a look of understanding came over her face.

"Ohhhh. Were you thinking that I meant…?"

"I, uh, think I had the wrong meaning about 'getting to bed.'"

Emma laughed.

"I guess my wording WAS open to multiple interpretations," she admitted. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Still recovering from the shock of what I thought you meant, but otherwise okay."

"Are you upset?" she then asked. "Disappointed?"

Smiling, JT turned his head and looked at his girlfriend.

"Emma, I've just had the perfect evening with the girl of my dreams. How can I possibly be upset or disappointed?"

"Eyes back on the road, daredevil," Emma teasingly instructed, though she was truly touched by his comment.

"Yesss, dear," JT replied, trying to sound like an old man, which made Emma laugh.

"We haven't really talked about sex," she remarked. "At least not since we started going out…that is, REALLY going out."

"I know. As friends we've talked about it in general, especially when we were seeing other people."

For a moment neither said anything else.

"I still want to at least wait until after I'm out of high school," Emma eventually said, breaking the silence. "I haven't changed my mind about that."

"I hadn't even thought that you WOULD change your mind, Emma. That's why I was so surprised back there."

"After all," she added, "there's enough to deal with right now as it is. Classes, causes, college plans."

"I understood your point back when you first talked about it and I still understand," JT assured.

"And of course in the past there was always the idea that when it happens it should be with the right person. You know that I haven't exactly had the best track record with guys. They always seemed to turn out to be so wrong for me. I'm definitely glad I didn't take things to THAT level with any of them."

"I feel the same way, Emma."

Emma put her left hand on JT's right shoulder.

"I know you do," she said. "Of course, now I've found the right person. Right in every way I can think of. And for the first time, I have to admit I've seriously been thinking about…Well, I've been tempted. But I still want to hold off in that area. Are you okay with that?"

"I wasn't expecting you to change your mind or your plans for anyone, and that includes me," he answered. "Don't get me wrong, part of me REALLY wants to say forget about waiting. Trust me."

Emma smiled.

"But we've got more than just the physical going for us," he continued. "And you know I'd not the type to pressure you about something like that."

"I know, JT. That's something I've never worried about."

"Also, ever since Manny had her accidental pregnancy by Craig last year, despite being careful, then all the stress that came after that, and ultimately the miscarriage…I don't know, I just found that to be a good reminder that there's no hurry. We'll get there when we get there. When it's right."

"Once again we're on the same wavelength, JT."

"Hey, until a couple of weeks ago, I'd waited a long time – months – just to kiss you for the first time. For me, finally getting to kiss you…that was like Christmas. I'm happy with what we have right now."

"Including those rather fun make-out sessions on your couch," Emma mentioned.

"Yes," JT responded, laughing. "Most definitely. Anyway, you don't have to think I'm looking at my watch and always wondering when something more is going to happen."

His happy expression suddenly turned to one of distress.

"And now I realize I just mentioned Manny's name," he said. "Sorry about…"

Removing her hand from his shoulder, Emma put her finger over JT's lips.

"You don't have to apologize," she told him. "It makes sense that a friend's experience would have an effect on you and that you'd want to share that effect with me. Besides, her name's not a dirty word around me. I'm working on dealing with her."

JT took her finger from his lips and kissed it.

"I know you have, Emma. She told me you've been very polite to her this week. Thanks for that."

"A lot of guys wouldn't understand. About there being no hurry."

"What can I say? I've never exactly tried to be like a lot of guys."

"True," she said.

"Besides, in one sense, I already go to bed with you every night."

"Okay, JT, now you've lost me."

"Well, I do have a framed picture of you on the table by my bed, so it's like you're close to me even when I'm asleep."

"You just keep on surprising me," Emma remarked.

"But don't worry," he added. "Your picture isn't TOO close. It's to the side and a little bit behind the alarm clock. I wouldn't want it right up close. I usually reach out and pound on the clock when the alarm goes off in the morning. Wouldn't want to accidentally pound on your face."

Emma laughed.

"Good to know. That wouldn't be the most pleasant way to start the day."

"Plus, assaulting my girlfriend's picture, even unintentionally, is probably some kind of a criminal act," he joked. "I don't want the Kodak people coming after me."

"JT, you have this uncanny ability to say the sweetest things I've ever heard, then follow it up by saying the goofiest things I've ever heard. Don't ever change."

"The photo cops might take me away. A judge could sentence me to life in a photo lab darkroom."

"If they did, I'd want to come with you," Emma said, then kissed JT's cheek.

"NOW who's going to get us into a wreck?" JT responded. "Not that I'm complaining about this distraction or anything."

After a few more minutes, the couple reached JT's house. They soon got out of the car.

"I know it's getting late, Emma, but are you SURE you won't stay awhile? We can watch a movie or…"

"I'd love to, but I meant what I said. You need your sleep. You usually end up working longer than you should on Friday nights, then you're back there again early on Saturday mornings. Take advantage of this extra time to get some rest. I'll see you at the theater tomorrow afternoon for our movie date."

"Followed by food, conversation and extreme amounts of physical contact. Not necessarily in that order."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

"But I'm not letting you walk home alone right now," he informed her.

"JT, I've been walking to and from your house by myself almost since I COULD walk any real distance. Even late at night. I can more than manage."

Hearing that, JT rolled his eyes.

"Save the 'I am woman, hear me walk' speeches," he joked. "I just mean that I don't like that this evening has to end, but if we HAVE to say goodnight, at least let me stall a little and walk you over there first."

"I guess that would be acceptable…for THAT reason."

"You drive a hard bargain," JT said.

They started walking down the sidewalk, but it wasn't long before JT grew troubled.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're limping a little."

"What are you talking about, JT?"

"Well, I don't think invisible elves came along and shortened one of your legs when we weren't looking. So if you're favoring one side over the other, something must be wrong."

"It's nothing," she insisted. "Though I do like your invisible elf theory. You should write a paper on it, then send it to a lab. There are medications doctors can give you. The road to mental health is only a step away. I know you can do it, JT."

"Emma…"

They stopped walking.

"Okay, JT, if you MUST know, one of my feet is a little sore. That's all. Consider it a souvenir from a wonderful after-dinner dance. It'll be okay in no time."

"I was afraid of this," JT said, feeling both worried and guilty. "I never should have let you talk me into dancing. You've gotta know that the last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you. I never meant for…"

Emma interrupted what she knew would be an unending panicky – and unnecessary – apology by suddenly kissing JT for several moments.

"Okay then," JT said after catching his breath. "Maybe you're not in such bad shape after all."

"It's taken about a dozen years, but I think I've finally found the one way to get you to shut up once in awhile," Emma teased. "Who knew a kiss could come in handy in so many different ways? Now, listen to me, JT. My foot is fine. A little sore because your foot kept landing on it, but it's still capable of getting me where I need to go. It's also able to kick you in the butt if you try to feel guilty about anything you've done during this perfect evening. Look, I'll gladly take this little bit of pain now considering I finally got you to dance with me back there tonight. Expect to dance with me again soon. So relax already. You've made this a great night."

JT accepted this and started to relax.

"I guess I'd better do what you say."

"Just don't relax so much that you fall asleep on your walk back to your house," Emma advised.

"You are WAY too demanding," JT said, smiling.

"Live with it," Emma replied.

Then she winked at him.

"Only for the next couple hundred years, Emma. After that, I'm outta here."

"We'll see about that…"

"Okay, so your foot will be fine soon. But by law, I can't have you continue to limp home like this."

"What law?" Emma questioned.

"Yorke's Law, of course."

"Of course," she repeated in a sarcastic tone. "How could I possibly forget about Yorke's Law?"

"Don't worry, Emma. It's easy to do, since I simply make the laws up as I go along."

"Oh, just like politicians," Emma cracked.

JT laughed.

"And people say I'M the comedian in this relationship."

"That's high praise coming from you, JT."

"Anyway," he continued, "as the one responsible for your unfortunate toe calamity, it's up to me to provide you with proper transportation."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just hang on to your purse," he cautioned.

"What?"

Suddenly JT bent down and then swept Emma up into his arms. To say Emma was surprised by this action would be an understatement.

"Okay JT, I've always known you were crazy, but I didn't think you were insane. Put me down!"

"Not until we've reached your house," he responded, sounding both cheerful and determined.

"We still have a couple of blocks," she said, surprise turning into concern. "There's no way."

"Then you should stop arguing and let me hurry."

JT started walking quickly.

"JT Yorke, if you drop me…"

"Would I do anything to mess up your beautiful dress?"

"Forget the dress. I'm thinking about me here. Me, me, me, me, me!"

"Emma, you were a little flat on that last 'me'. You need to work more on your singing."

"You're impossible, JT! And your skinny arms can't hold on to me for any real amount of time."

"When I used to be the mascot, there were a few times when I'd lift up one of the members of squad to help out with some crazy routine or another that Paige dreamed up."

"Lift them up, yes. But you didn't carry them around!"

"Are you saying you're too heavy?" JT smirked, infuriating Emma all the more. "I would NEVER think something like that about you."

"Of course I'm not heavy," she replied. "That doesn't mean you're able to continue to hold me up."

"Hey, I'm just trying to stay in shape. When we get married one day, I'll have to carry you like this over a threshold. Of course if you'd prefer, when that day comes I could just throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes."

"Walking through a doorway takes seconds, not minutes. And don't you dare compare me to a sack of potatoes! But I shouldn't be surprised. This is exactly something I should expect from you. You get these crazed ideas into your head and you don't let them go. With you, I never know what to expect from one minute to the next. I'm willing to consider the possibility that you were sent from another planet all those years ago with the specific mission of testing just how much it would take to push me right over the edge and into…into…"

"The Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs Zone?" he suggested.

"Yeah! And by the way, JT, that's a terrible breakfast to start off your day. You really should stop eating junk like that. And did you say something about us someday getting married? I can barely keep up with all your schemes now."

JT slowly put Emma back on her feet. He looked at Emma and saw that she was frowning.

"NOW what's wrong?" he questioned.

"What did you put me down for?" she asked in reply, sounding annoyed.

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes…" she answered. "Well, no…Well…"

"Emma, have you noticed where we are?"

"Of course not. I've been looking at you the whole time, not to mention hanging on for dear life."

Emma looked around and saw that they were right in front of her home.

"Oh, THAT'S why you…"

"…Put you down," JT completed her sentence. "Yes. Like I promised, not until we got to the front of your house."

"That was quick," she commented.

"Time flies when Emma's on the rampage," he joked.

"Are your arms okay?" she asked, looking concerned.

"They were holding you. They can't get much better than that."

"All my complaints to the contrary, that was kinda nice," Emma admitted. "Being carried in your arms AND getting to question your sanity. Two very fun activities."

"And you even managed to slip in a mini-lecture on good nutrition," JT added. "This is really your night."

"Half right," she corrected him. "It's OUR night."

The couple then kissed.

"Thanks for the Yorke Foot-Relief Mode of Transportation," Emma said after they eventually gave in to their need for oxygen and broke apart.

"Anytime, Emma."

"And for the private candlelight dinner, the dancing, the conversation. Everything."

"Couldn't have done it without you," JT responded. "Well, I could have tried, but then if anyone had seen me dancing with myself, I'm sure they'd have thrown me out of the restaurant. So you keep me looking respectable."

Emma laughed.

"And you, JT, keep me away from boredom."

"We're not a bad combination."

"The best," she confirmed. "Now promise me that you won't find some excuse to stay up really late."

"You would doubt me?" he asked.

"You always seem to find some old movie on one of the channels, and I want you alert and well-rested in the morning."

"Okay, Emma. I promise. But if I find out someone's airing 'Frankenstein Marries the Wolf Man in Outer Space,' all bets are off."

At this, Emma rolled her eyes.

"It's a real tear-jerker," he jokingly insisted. "And you DID say I was a romantic."

"You're hopeless, JT. But I love you anyway. Sleep well."

"You too, angel."

Emma then adjusted JT's tie.

"It got a little crooked during our walk. Well, your walk. My ride."

"Thanks."

The couple enjoyed one last, lengthy kiss.

"Love you, Jamie," she then professed for one last time that night.

"Love you too, Emma."

Emma then started walking toward her front door and JT started walking back to his place. Before going inside, though, she called out to him.

"And be careful up on that ladder tomorrow morning! No falling!"

"Aww, that takes all the fun out of it!" JT called back as he walked away. "See you tomorrow afternoon!"

**Next Chapter** – Parent Of The Year


	17. Parent Of The Year

**The Long And Winding Road **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc.

**Notes:** Sorry that it's taken longer than usual to update. To YellyBelly – Don't apologize for the length of your reviews. They're great. I really enjoy writing the conversation scenes between JT & Emma. I'm glad you like those. To cutiepye06655 – It's good that you like the long chapters. There's always so much I want to include in each section. To amricangrl – Thanks for such a nice compliment. I'm looking forward to reading the next update to your story. And now on to the latest chapter. Also note that since I can't recall an instance in the show where we learn the never-seen Mr. and Mrs. Yorke's first names, I came up with my own.

Chapter 17 -- Parent Of The Year

Early Saturday afternoon, JT entered his house as the phone was ringing. He reached the phone by the third ring and answered the call.

"Thank you for calling The Movie Diff -- oops, I mean, Hello?"

"James?" the voice on the other end responded.

"Dad?" JT answered, surprised. "Hi! Sorry about that. I just came home for lunch. After answering a lot of phone calls today, it's hard to pick up a phone without giving the theater name."

"Perfectly understandable," JT's father, Nathaniel Yorke, said. "Sounds like you're staying busy."

"Most of the time."

"And loving it?"

"Most of the time."

"That's as it should be, son. If your employer thinks you like your work TOO much, he'll start to take you for granted. I can't believe you're still JUST the assistant manager down there."

"Well, I'm only there part-time, Dad. Besides, the manager also happens to be the owner. So aside from him, I've got the best position there."

"I suppose that's good. I just hate that word 'assistant'. It's like you're some lesser person. Better than someone who mops the floors but still not where you ought to be."

"I like being Assistant Manager," JT explained. "The 'manager' part of the title shows that I'm somewhat in charge, and 'assistant' shows that I'm helpful and useful."

"I was hoping you'd outgrow that, James, and realize that it's not how helpful you are but how much power you have that counts. Anyway, I got your message yesterday. Sorry I missed you. I was with an important client. Big business. Big money. Not the sort you stop talking with just to answer calls from your family."

"No problem, Dad. Like I told the person answering the phones, it wasn't urgent."

"That's good. I was sure it couldn't be too important. Anyway, I was already planning to call you this weekend. I have some exciting news."

"Oh?"

"James, what would you say to the idea of a permanent move to Winnipeg?"

JT was stunned.

"Winnipeg? Move? Now?"

Meanwhile at the Nelson/Simpson home, Spike and Emma sat down to eat lunch in the kitchen.

"Mom, shouldn't we wait for Archie and Jack to get back?"

"No, I have a feeling Snake was going to take Jack with him to get a hot dog after they left the park. He thinks father/son bonding works better by introducing Jack to the taste of a hot dog rather than coming back here to eat pasta salad with us."

"Never too early to corrupt his child with unhealthy food choices, I suppose," Emma said sarcastically.

"Snake refers to it as teaching Jack about the finer things in life."

"Yeah, like clogged arteries."

Both of them laughed.

"So you mean you actually got JT to dance last night?" Spike asked.

"Don't sound so surprised, Mom."

"I'm not. I'm just curious how much arm twisting it took."

"Not too much. It only took him one broken arm before he finally gave in. But we're even, since his dancing nearly broke a few of my toes."

"All in all, it sounds like you two had quite an evening."

Emma couldn't help but smile.

"The most romantic night of my life," she remarked.

"I'm glad he makes you so happy, Em. I knew he would. In one way or another he always has. I do have a little confession to make, though."

"Sounds interesting."

"More silly than interesting. Before your date last night, I got a little crazed."

"Yeah, I know. I saw you and Archie on the couch, remember?"

"Oh. No, not that. Although that got kind of crazy, too. Especially after you and JT left. Wild and crazy. And hot."

"I'd SO rather not hear anymore about that, Mom, thank you very much."

Spike laughed.

"No, before all that, I started to worry that the better things were between you and JT, the more likely things would fall apart."

"Mom…" Emma said, rolling her eyes.

"I know. I told you it was crazy. I came to my senses moments after I said it. You two hardly fight, at least not about anything major. And you're not me. I know you're not going to get into a complicated situation where you wind up pregnant. NOT that I think you and JT couldn't handle it if something like that were to happen."

"Let's put it this way, Mom – If I find out I'm pregnant, then before I go to a doctor, I'm first going to contact Ripley's Believe It Or Not."

"You mean…?"

"We're not having sex yet, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not worried about it. You're not a little girl. You're practically an adult. Just remember that if you do decide to move forward in that direction, be careful."

"Of course."

"And make sure I never have to see or hear it going on," Spike added sarcastically.

Emma laughed.

"But you say that for now you're not…?"

"Not anytime soon. Even though we've been friends forever, being an actual couple is all still so new with us."

"And JT knows all of this?" Spike questioned. "I mean, this isn't just something you decided and haven't discussed with him?"

"He knows, Mom. You should know by now that he and I talk about everything. This decision is mutual. Besides, we've got all the time in the world. We're one of those 'together forever' couples. Neither of us is going anywhere without the other. By the way, I really like how you sounded protective of JT by asking if he got to be in on the decision. It's good that someone's around to do a little mothering on his behalf."

"I've always liked JT. He's difficult NOT to like. Also, I was friends with his mother Jillian for years. I admired how she built up a business while not neglecting her family. Too bad her husband didn't share the same attitude."

"I know. I try not to think about Mr. Yorke too much because whenever I do, I just get mad, and I don't want JT to see that. I really think JT knows what his father is like, so it's not like he's in denial, but it IS his father and JT doesn't want to think bad thoughts about the man."

"I can understand that."

"Still, the way that guy just leaves town for months at a time even if it's work-related, making promises to return that he rarely keeps, it just annoys me to no end. And whenever he IS in town it's only because of work. Mom, JT is the greatest guy I know. Why can't Nathaniel Yorke see how lucky he is to have JT for a son?"

"I can't answer that, Em. Let's just be glad that JT turned out so great anyway, and that his mother lived long enough to help guide him to adulthood. He's got good friends. He knows Snake and I are here if he needs anything. And he's got MY daughter loving him and looking out for him, which automatically makes him the most fortunate guy on Earth."

Emma smiled.

"I can't argue with that logic."

Back at JT's house, his phone conversation with his father continued.

"You want to move? Dad, you can't be serious!"

"Quite serious," his father responded calmly. "Look, I've basically been living here already for quite awhile now. After I first came to Manitoba to help out a former client, I started making contacts with some very influential business leaders and, as a result, I gained a huge unexpected, but profitable, caseload. I think that now it's time I stopped living in hotels and working out of borrowed office space and formalize things.

"I'm closing my Toronto office and starting a law firm here in Winnipeg. I'll still focus on corporate law. After all, that's where the big money is. Mergers, acquisitions, hostile takeovers and the like. There's enough to do that I'm even hiring a couple of associates. I just need to tie up some loose ends back home. I have a couple of longtime clients I'll still go back to help as needed since they don't want to find new representation. In fact, I'll be coming back there in about a week or so to help VCC Chemical finalize a land deal. But I don't want to live in Toronto anymore. It's no longer my home."

"And what about me?" JT asked

"What ABOUT you?"

"Things are going better than ever now. I can't just leave everything behind."

"Who's asking you to?"

"Uh, Dad, you've just been talking about how we're moving out of state for good."

"No, I never said 'we.'"

"Okay, now I'm confused."

"James, I wouldn't think of asking you to pick up and leave so close to your graduation. You've also got that job. Okay, so 'assistant manager' makes you sound like little more than basic hired help, but I suppose it could lead to good things in the future. The way I see it, you're used to being on your own most of the time now, and it's worked out well. You're also about to turn 18 in January. It IS in January, right?"

JT sighed.

"Yes, Dad, my birthday's in January."

"See? So you certainly don't need me there hovering over you as though you were 8. You'll be fine remaining there on your own."

"On my own," JT repeated.

"And like I said, I'll be back there sometimes on business, and we'll see each other on holidays. You can also come here and visit anytime you want. Oh, you really ought to call first. Wouldn't want you to travel here and then find out I'm all tied up in court."

"I understand."

"I've purchased a great condo," the man said, sounding quite pleased with himself. "Ideal for all my needs. I just need to furnish it, then I can move in."

"Sounds…great."

"Then, in a few months if you decide to go away to college, or even if you want to stay in Toronto and live in an apartment while working or going to school, I'll just put the house on the market."

"What about Mother's company?"

"The managers who've been running it can continue to oversee everything. You and I will continue splitting the profits according to the terms of the will, but it's not like either of us was meant to have a hands-on role in running her clothing operation. If things become too much of a hassle, we can always sell it."

"Sell Mother's company?" JT questioned loudly.

"Don't get excited, James. Like I said, we could sell it IF it becomes too much of a nuisance."

"I see."

"Look, with your mother gone, there's no need for us to pretend we're going to be some kind of traditional family. You know that I was never suited to be some parental figure that's always around like you see in those old TV shows. To tell the truth, I never saw myself having kids, but your mother really wanted a child, and I never could refuse her."

JT couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"So becoming a parent was more about you doing Mother a favor?"

"I wouldn't put it exactly that way," his father answered, "but I suppose one could interpret it like that."

"I had no idea about any of this."

"Don't misunderstand, though, James. I'm glad you're my son and that you're a part of my life. But I'm also glad you're such an independent, enterprising young man who knows how to take care of himself. It makes me proud and assures me that I don't have to worry about you. We don't really need each other."

"We don't?"

"Of course we don't. But don't think I'm leaving you out in the cold. You have your own money, plus I can always send you more if you need it. And I'll still handle the regular monthly bills. You're financially secure. You've got your life and I have mine. I think this will be the best thing for us both."

"I guess I understand what you're saying. This is just a lot to take in all at once. It's all happening so fast."

"When it comes to a good opportunity, James, you can't drag your heels. Besides, it sounded like you've got extra reasons to stay in town, apart from school and work. You seemed very adamant about not wanting to move. I believe you said that things were going better than ever. What did you mean by that?"

"Do you remember Emma Nelson?" JT asked.

"Your mother was always better at keeping up with who's who in your school."

"I'm sure you'd remember her if you saw her. You've seen Emma lots of times here at the house and met her family at least a few times, including at the funeral. We had the gathering at their place."

"Oh. Right. Again, I'm sorry I missed that. You know how it is. Business before pleasure. Oops, that came out wrong. What I meant was: business first, personal life second."

"I know what you meant, Dad."

"Nelson. That name doesn't ring a bell. What does she look like?"

"Not very tall, but not short either. Long blond hair. Beautiful eyes that can tell you her life story if you're paying close attention. A smile that would light up a darkened screening room. And I can't believe I'm saying all of this out loud. See the effect she has on me?"

The elder Yorke thought for a moment.

"Now that you mention it, I DO remember some little blond girl coming by the house a lot from the time you were little to even more recent years."

"That would be Emma," JT confirmed.

"Wait. Now that I think about it…I seem to remember this one kid, I think it was…Yes! Career Day when you were in the sixth grade. What a rotten experience THAT turned out to be. I went into that classroom all prepared to talk to you kids about the basics of being an attorney. Defending people. Righting wrongs. What a courtroom is like. All very simple information designed for simple minds. But this one little pipsqueak kept raising her hand to ask question after question. Using legal terminology that nobody her age should know. Then she pulled out a list of various companies I've defended along with all this information she'd somehow gathered about each one and their holdings. She went down the list and asked why I would represent them when they own so much unused land, which she thought should be used to plant trees. I was the lawyer, but this little brat was trying to put me on trial."

"That's Emma," JT responded, trying not to laugh. "She's still very big on environmental causes. She's my best friend and, as of a couple weeks ago, my girlfriend. I've known her forever."

"Emma! Emma Nelson! Yes, it's all coming back to me."

"I knew you'd remember."

"Isn't she the bastard child of that woman with the strange name?"

"Dad, that's a horrible thing to say! Don't EVER call Emma that again!"

"I wasn't insulting the girl, James. Look it up. I didn't invent the term. Bastard…illegitimate…whatever. Let's not quibble over synonyms."

"It's still a disgusting thing to say. Yes, Emma was raised alone by her mother until Mrs. N. got married a few years ago, but there's nothing wrong with that."

"There's got to be SOMETHING wrong with the mother. What kind of sensible adult goes by the name Snoopy?"

"It's Spike, Dad."

"Are you sure? Well, I knew it was ONE of those Charlie Brown characters."

"I don't think she took the name because it was Snoopy's brother's name."

"Snoopy. Spike. Whatever. It's still ridiculous. As I recall, when this strangely named – and obviously very loose – woman got herself knocked up a second time, she finally did the right thing and got married."

JT was growing even angrier but tried to remain calm.

"James, this husband of hers is also one of your teachers, right?"

"Right. Archie Simpson."

"Archie? What nickname does HE answer to? Jughead?"

"Actually, some people call him 'Snake.'"

Nathaniel Yorke sighed.

"I guess you can't expect too much from a school like Degrassi."

"It's been a great place, Dad."

"If you say so. Say, how serious is it between you and this Emma Nelson?"

"Very serious. I can't imagine my life without her."

"Do what you think is best, James. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I hope you'll take my advice."

"And what's that?"

"Don't let her try to push you into any big commitments. You're young. And she's pushy and obnoxious."

"Dad!"

"What I'm saying is…It's okay to get a little wild and crazy with the ladies at your age. You're a young man. It's expected. And high school girls are as usable and disposable as Kleenex. You seem to be doing okay in school and at work. It's possible that you could have a bright future ahead. So have fun, but don't let this girl bring you down. I can only imagine she's learned from her mother's example about how to get pregnant to trap a man."

"Emma's not like that at all! Promise me you won't say things like that about Emma and her mother anymore. Emma is very special to me, and her mom has been like a second mother to me this year."

"Fine. Take it easy. I wasn't trying to make you mad."

JT sighed. Then an idea came to him about how to make this situation better.

"Hey, when you're back in town taking care of that property matter, spend some time getting to know Emma. I know you'll like her. Mother was crazy about her. It's impossible not to like her."

"Okay, for you I'll keep an open mind. Just don't let her start preaching to me about how we should give all our money away and go live in a tree."

"I know you two will hit it off if you give it a chance," JT said confidently.

"I hope this girl knows how lucky she is. I've never heard you get this serious and argumentative with me about anything. Anyway back to important matters. About my move – you ARE okay with it, aren't you, James?"

"Of course, Dad," JT replied, after a moment of hesitation. "Why not? Like you said, it's not like things are going to change all that much from how they are now. You'll just have a new permanent address, and now I know you don't plan on coming home to stay."

"I'm proud of you, son. Say, I've got to go. I have a meeting to get to."

"That's fine, Dad. I have to eat and hurry back to work."

"I'll talk to you again soon."

Nathaniel Yorke then hung up before either could say a proper goodbye.

'Well that was informative,' JT thought as he put down the phone. 'We aren't close, but I had no idea he never wanted…Anyway, at least I don't have to leave town. Or leave Emma. I can't believe he said all that garbage about her. He can say whatever he wants about me and his lack of interest in fatherhood and disappointment in my very existence, but I won't have him talk that way about Emma. Maybe it's just because he hasn't been around. He'll see. Emma makes everything so much better. Can't wait to see her in a couple more hours. It sounds like Dad now has exactly what he wants. I just hope he won't be too lonely there by himself.'

In Nathaniel Yorke's Winnipeg hotel suite, the man put down the phone and then called out to someone who was in his bathroom.

"Katie, are you ready?"

"Yes, Natey dear," Katie answered from the bathroom, giggling. "But I'm in this bathtub all by my lonesome. You'd better hurry and join me before all these bubbles melt."

"On my way. First, let me get us some additional bubbles, this time courtesy of a champagne bottle from the fridge."

"Are we celebrating something?"

"You bet," Yorke said excitedly. "I'm getting even closer to severing ties with a kid I never wanted and the last remnants of a marriage that, while great in many ways, had gotten too demanding. The kid is almost 18 so, other than financial obligations, there's little reason left to interact with him.

"Don't get me wrong, Katie. He's nice enough. And I try to advise him about business and the ways of the world – things he certainly can't be learning at that inane local school his mother thought so highly about. But a son is simply not what I need in my life. Now that I'm living in Winnipeg full-time, I'm able to work hard AND play hard. Responsible only to myself and to my clients."

"Sounds wonderful, Natey."

"Now remember, you can't call me Natey when we're at the office. You're still my personal assistant and at work things will remain entirely professional. Also, I'm still supposed to be in mourning over my late wife. It hasn't yet been a year since her death. And you're so young. It simply wouldn't look right."

"Of course I'll remember," she replied. "By the way, who were you calling just now?"

"Nobody important. Just my son."


	18. Walk This Way

**The Long And Winding Road **

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks to Angelstargirl and amricangrl for reviewing Chapt. 17, a chapter that was a bit more serious in tone. Thanks also to shooting-starrz-4 for reviewing this story within the Author Notes of your own story, _Can't Walk Away_.

Chapter 18 -- Walk This Way

Saturday night, JT and Emma were walking hand-in-hand down a sidewalk only a few blocks from The Movie Difference.

"So, JT, how are you doing?"

"That's a strange question to ask."

"Expressing concern is strange? Gee, thanks. I hope the greeting card companies aren't counting too heavily on YOUR business when the holidays roll around."

"I mean I don't know why you'd ask how I'm doing when you've spent the last few hours beside me in one of my favorite places."

"That's why I'm asking," she explained. "You are way too quiet right now. Usually after the movies, you can't stop talking. Describing in detail your favorite scenes from the films we just got through watching. Sometimes you'll even start in on a lengthy analysis about the differences in directors and techniques – which is really amazing considering you can't properly spell the words 'lengthy analysis.'"

"That's real nice, Emma."

"I just get concerned when you stop talking so much."

"I am healthy, happy and independent," JT declared. "I've just spent the afternoon watching some of the funniest moments ever put on film, and now I'm going to dinner with my favorite girl. So how am I doing? I SUPPOSE things could be better."

JT winked at Emma.

"Fine," Emma said, smiling. "You win. You're perfect."

"Where's a tape recorder when you really need one?"

"Anyway," she continued, "I don't know why we're walking to the restaurant. I still say it would have been much easier to use your car."

"My car?"

"You remember, JT, that thing you own with four wheels. The contraption that goes 'VROOM VROOM' when you turn the key."

"I'm surprised at you."

"Why?"

"Emma Nelson – the undisputed champion of environmental crusaderosity – would rather ride in a car than walk, even though the Chinese restaurant is only a few blocks away?"

"I'm only thinking about you. You're going to eat too much, then you won't like the idea of walking back to the theater just to get your car. Yeah, we're saving fuel now, but later you're probably going to be responsible for noise pollution once you start complaining about the walk back."

"I'm sure your lips can find a way to keep me quiet when the time comes," he teased.

"You're awfully sure of yourself, JT."

"What can I say? I'm just an extraordinary person."

"That's highly debatable," Emma kidded him.

"Lucky for you I'm always ready to debate you."

"Lucky?"

At that moment, they heard a car honking. They then noticed one particular car coming up the street.

"Emma, it's Manny's car."

"Looks like Courtney's with her."

The car pulled off to the side of the road while JT and Emma crossed the street and approached the vehicle on the passenger side. Courtney rolled down her window.

"Hey, you two," Manny greeted.

"Hi Manny. Courtney," Emma responded.

"Hi girls," JT added.

"Hi. Are you two having car trouble?" Courtney asked.

"No," Emma replied. "Just walking over to Lem Sung's. And, no, this time walking was NOT my idea."

"Sounds romantic," Manny said.

"And what are the two of you up to tonight?" JT asked.

"Manny just finished giving me a tour of The House of Santos."

"Oh?" Emma asked, curious.

"It's just wrong that one girl owns so many pairs of shoes," Courtney added.

"You can never own too many pairs of shoes," Emma and Manny both said in unison.

Manny and Emma laughed after realizing they both had the same response at the same time.

"Courtney," JT interjected, "you mean you haven't been brainwashed into joining the Degrassi Girls Shoe Fanatics Society?"

Courtney laughed.

"I've managed to steer clear of the cult so far."

"That won't last, the longer you hang out with either of these girls," JT warned in jokingly. "Even Emma, who doesn't believe in being overly appearance-conscious, bends her rules enough to go ape over footwear."

"Just ignore him," Emma responded. "He's a guy. He'd wear sneakers to church if he thought I wouldn't find out and gripe at him."

"Now we're headed over to your theater, JT," Courtney announced.

"Yeah?"

"Just in time for the encore showing of what I'm sure you two just finished watching," Manny said.

"Courtney, I didn't know you liked old comedies, too," JT said.

"Not as a general rule, but I'm a sucker for Laurel & Hardy. So when Manny mentioned that you guys were showing a mini-marathon of L&H film shorts today, I wasn't about to pass it up."

"So why are you going with Manny?" JT joked.

"Hey!" Manny said.

"No offense, but let's face it – you're not exactly a movie buff. Particularly old movies. You WERE the first to bail out on our Saturday get-togethers, despite my best efforts at the time."

"That was then, JT. Now I'm trying different things."

"Sounds good. Well, don't let us keep you. You don't want to be late."

"Especially since the first one is where they try to haul the piano up that huge flight of steps outside a house," Emma explained.

"One of my favorites," JT said.

"Mine too," Courtney agreed. "We'd better go."

"Have fun," JT said.

"We will," Manny assured. "Enjoy the Chinese food."

"Definitely, but first we have to finish wok–ing on over there," JT joked.

"JT, that was terrible," Manny smiled.

"He needs food before he loses all his comic ability," Emma said. "I'd better get him out of here. Bye!"

Manny and Courtney then drove on to the theater.

"So, Manny, unless you were really putting on a show, I'd say it looks like you're finally getting over him."

"I don't know if I'll ever be over him completely. There are still moments when I see them walking down the hall at school and I get the urge to drag Emma to the broom closet in the unused portion of the building and lock her in there long enough for me to try to get JT back."

"But then common sense kicks in."

"Right. Besides, I'm getting used to the idea that they're together. JT's happier than he's ever been, and he's still my friend. Also, she's actually being nice to me again. Not the fake niceness she can show when she wants to be polite but otherwise can't stand you. I've gotten that kind of niceness from her sometimes in the past, and what she's showing now is real. Do you know that back there was the first time Emma and I have laughed together about anything in ages? Besides, all you need to do is look at their hands to see it."

"What do you mean?"

"They were holding hands, Courtney. Same as they've been doing at school. They sometimes did that even before they got together."

"That's great for them, but what's the significance?"

"JT was never a hand holder. Never with me, and from what I could tell, never with anyone else he dated or was friends with. A great kisser. Good with the hugs, too. But not a hand holder. He and Emma hold hands a lot. It's like there's some kind of force at work and they can't NOT make contact when they're together."

"I hadn't really noticed, but I can definitely tell that it's serious with them. It's almost too nice – borderline nauseating – but they're also fun to watch. It's good, what they have."

"Yeah. Maybe I notice the little things because I've known them forever, so I'm used to their habits. What they do and what they don't do. Those two – it's the real deal."

"Congratulations, Manny. It sounds like you're going to be okay."

"Maybe now no more crazy dreams," Manny remarked hopefully.

"At least not until you meet someone cute who's free and who won't pull you into any more dramas."

"True. Then the dreams might get crazy, but only in a good way. So, Courtney, which one do you want for tonight? Mr. Laurel or Mr. Hardy?"

Courtney laughed.

Meanwhile, JT and Emma continued walking after having said goodbye to Manny and Courtney.

"That was unexpected," JT commented.

"No, Courtney had told me once that she watches Laurel & Hardy whenever it shows up on TV."

"No, I mean the two of them together. I didn't think they liked each other."

"They just didn't really know each other all that well. When I was using Courtney as a practice audience to rehearse my presentation this morning, she told me that they had a run-in at Ryan's last night. She figured Manny could use a friendly ear from someone who wasn't mixed up in all the history that the rest of us have with Manny."

"That sounds like a good idea. Are you okay with it, Emma?"

"I don't have exclusive rights to anyone's friendship. Their friendship doesn't change things between Courtney and me."

"I'm glad. That's a very mature decision on your part."

"JT, I'm nothing if not mature."

"Except when I locate one of your tickle spots and get you laughing uncontrollably."

"Yeah, right."

"Would you like me to remind you, Emma?"

"You'd have to catch me first."

"You think I couldn't?"

"We're almost to the restaurant. And you'll notice my foot is okay today. No limp. You wouldn't stand a chance if you tried to chase me."

"You're right, Emma. I know when I'm defeated."

"I'm glad you can accept losing so gracefully, JT."

"Of course I can."

JT suddenly turned and pointed to a spot across the street.

"Hey, Emma! Look!"

"What?"

"Across the street! Some guy's got an ax and is trying to chop down that tree."

Emma turned in the direction JT was pointing.

"What? JT, I don't see anyone. Where is this crazy person?"

"Crazy person?" JT asked, now standing behind Emma. "Right behind you."

JT put his hands at Emma's sides and started tickling her.

"You jerk!" Emma complained, laughing. "That's not fair."

"Who said I was trying to play fair?"

Emma continued to laugh.

"Okay! Okay! You got me, JT."

JT stopped tickling and, still behind Emma, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close.

"Yeah. I got you. And I'm never letting go."

"Good," Emma smiled. "I'm going to hold you to it. By the way, you know I WILL get you back when you least expect it."

JT turned Emma around to face him.

"I know, and I can't wait."

Still locked in JT's embrace, Emma kissed him.

"So," she said afterward, "are we going to keep standing here putting on a show for whomever happens to drive by, or are we going to resume our walk to Lem Sung's?"

"By all means, let's continue our walk."

Emma sighed in relief.

"Good, you said 'walk'. I was afraid you might return to the 'wok' pun."

"Emma, I'm shocked. I would never milk a joke over and over on the same night. What kind of comic genius do you think I am? Don't answer that."

Emma laughed and took his hand, then they resumed walking.

"By the way, JT, I saw you checking your wallet before we left the theater."

"Yeah, it's this very peculiar habit I have of making sure I have enough money on hand before we go out to eat. I'm sorry you had to witness such an act."

"Eventually I'm going to get to finish my point, right?"

"If you must," JT smirked.

"My point is that I don't want you taking that wallet out again tonight."

"Okay, Emma, but when the waitress has to reach down and go searching through my pants for the money to pay the bill, don't get jealous."

"You are so bad sometimes," Emma responded, trying not to laugh. "I MEAN that tonight the Chinese food is on me."

"That's sweet, Emma. You know you don't have to."

"Yes, I do have to. You've taken me out so many times these last few weeks."

"We're not in competition, you know."

"I know, JT."

"And anyway, we've eaten at your house several times lately."

"Yeah, and my mom has done the cooking, or they've ordered food. It's not the same thing."

"So let me see if I understand. You don't want your boyfriend to buy you meals."

"Of course I do. But a woman can take a guy out to dinner just as easily as a guy can take a woman out. I want to be able to treat you, just as you treat me. Look, we ate together all the time before we became…"

"Officially official?"

"Yeah," Emma confirmed. "And sometimes you would buy, sometimes I would, and other times we'd just go Dutch. But now that we're together, you're doing all the buying and, don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying every bit of it, but I want to take you places, too."

"You're still the most peculiar woman I know," he remarked. "I've never had a girlfriend who wanted to take ME out."

"Those girlfriends weren't me."

"True," JT agreed. "They never even came close."

"And because I know how your mind works – scary as that is – I want you to ignore your impulses. Order anything you want. I don't want you picking the cheapest thing you see on the menu just to try and save me money."

"Emma, would I do that?"

"YES!"

"You really should start your own psychic phone service. You'd make a fortune."

"These powers only seem to work where you're concerned."

"In that case, thanks for dinner, Emma."

"You're more than welcome."

"But don't think you're going to keep me from spoiling you rotten every chance I get."

"Only as long as I get to do the same for you."

"Such a tough person to bargain with, but you've got yourself a deal."

"Oh, and one more thing, JT…"

"I think we'd better stop using 'one more thing' in our conversations," JT interrupted. "We NEVER have just one more thing to say. It always ends up being one more thing, followed by another thing and then another."

Emma glared at him.

"But there I go again not letting you finish," JT said. "Carry on."

"Thank you. Now, as I was saying…"

"Carry on," JT again interrupted, "like the wind."

"Right. Anyway, I…"

"Like a ship sailing across the ocean."

"JT…"

"Like flies, circling a garbage truck."

"JT!"

"Oh. Were you trying to say something?" JT smirked.

"You're a nut."

"I'm not sure why you were trying so hard to tell me that, Emma. I thought we'd already established that fact long ago."

"JT, we're almost to Lem Sung's and I want to be serious for a minute."

"Okay," JT said, looking at his watch. "But I'm timing you."

JT looked up and saw Emma frowning.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Just wanted to keep you laughing."

"You do, JT, but this is really important."

They stopped walking.

"What is it, Emma?"

"I know you told me right before the show about how your father's not coming back to stay."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have the whole place to myself. I can keep the TV volume up as loud as I want because nobody will be trying to work in the next room. I can go on that all-pizza diet I've always wanted. Hey, if I want to just wander around the house naked, I can do that, too."

Emma didn't say anything in response.

"Emma, I'm kidding. And even if I wasn't, there's no way you'd let me get away with an all-pizza diet. Emma?"

"Hmm?" Emma said, somewhat dazed. "Oh, sorry. I, um, was just thinking about, um, that last thing you said."

"Last thing?"

"You know. The wandering part. Wandering while…um…with no…you know."

"Why, Emma Nelson, you're blushing."

"Shut up!"

"Don't worry. Your perverted mind is our little secret."

"That's enough of that, JT!"

"If you say so."

"Anyway, I think you're more bothered about this situation with your dad than you're letting on."

"I'm fine, Emma. Really. He caught me off guard with everything he had to say about me."

Emma looked at him in surprise.

"Um, I mean, about me and him. But…it's really no big thing."

"Everything he had to say? JT, what else did he say to you AND about you?"

"I…just meant…everything he had to say about his plans to stay on in Winnipeg. You know. His living arrangements."

'Yeah,' Emma thought, 'there's definitely more to what JT's father told him.'

They started walking again.

"Hey, did you get to tell him about us?"

"Of course, Emma. He definitely knows we're together."

"Was he happy for you?"

"Oh, you know how parents are. Filled with all sorts of relationship advice. He's promised to get to know you better when he comes to town in a few days."

"That should be interesting. I got to know your mom so well, but I don't think I've made any lasting impression on your dad."

"You'd be surprised," JT said uneasily.

"You still looked troubled," she continued. "What else did you two talk about? And is the conversation the two of you had the reason you were so quiet after the movies?"

"Look, can we just drop it already? You'd think the subject of my father was the only thing worth talking about."

Emma looked surprised that JT had become defensive.

"I'm sorry, Emma. I suppose we can talk about him if you want, but another time, okay?"

"I'm just concerned about you, that's all."

"I know. Thanks. But I'm fine."

'Maybe,' Emma thought. 'Maybe not. But when I see Nathaniel Yorke, I will definitely have a few things to say to him. JT may feel obligated to put up with this guy, but I don't.'

They soon reached the front of the restaurant.

"Well, here we are," Emma said.

"Did you know there are dozens of things you can do with chopsticks besides eating with them?" JT asked.

"You mean you haven't already demonstrated them all to me?"

"I've got more ways that I haven't yet begun to show you."

"JT, tell me you're not going to get creative again in there tonight."

"Okay. 'You're not going to get creative again in there tonight.' There. Is there anything else you're like me to say?"

Emma laughed.

"JT, what am I going to do with you?"

"Hey, since you've said cost is no issue, I think I'll order a little of everything on the menu."

"Very funny," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Naturally I'm kidding, Emma."

"I should hope so."

"I'll order a lot of everything."

"Yes, definitely a nut, JT. No doubt about it."


	19. Rise & Shine

**The Long And Winding Road **

**Notes:** I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Thanks to YellyBelly and cutiepye06655 for the recent reviews of Chapter 18.

**Chapter 19 -- Rise & Shine**

Sunday morning at the Nelson/Simpson home, Emma was still down in her bedroom sleeping when her phone started to ring. She continued to sleep, but after a few more rings slowly woke up. Grumbling, she picked up the phone after two more rings.

"Hello?" Emma said, still half-asleep.

"Good morning!" JT said with an energetic voice.

"Sorry, not interested."

"Emma, it's me!"

"Me who?" Emma yawned.

"ME me."

"Look, I don't know anyone named Mimi."

"I mean, it's me – JT!"

"Oh," Emma said, now starting to wake up. "Hi JT. Look, you know I love you and everything, but why are you calling? It's the middle of the night."

"It's 7:30 in the morning."

"On Sunday morning, that's the same thing as the middle of the night. How are you NOT tired?"

"I'm just ready to start the day," he replied cheerfully.

"Good, call me back in another 2 hours or so and I'll be ready, too."

"Emma, don't you want to get out there and enjoy life?"

"It'll still be there when I wake up."

"How about we go jogging? That will get you awake and full of energy."

"JT, aren't you going to church this morning? You can pray for your sanity to return."

"Not today. Besides, aren't you the big believer in a healthy lifestyle?"

"I eat right and I walk a lot. I think I've done my part. Besides, it's November. It's too cold."

"Not if you keep moving," he suggested.

"You're not going to let me say no, are you?"

"Okay, Emma, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but since you're being so stubborn…Come jogging with me, and for lunch I'll fix you a nice big salad. Then I'll let you practice your presentation on me yet again. I'll even keep the heckling to a minimum."

"I guess if you're willing to go to such extremes, I can't very well turn you down. Okay, but you're also buying me breakfast at Ryan's after this evil jogging experience."

"Deal. Now I don't want to wake up anyone else in your house, so I'll meet you out in front of your place in 10 minutes."

"FIFTEEN minutes!"

"Okay," JT laughed, "if you insist. See you then. Love you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Must be what they call Tough Love."

After hanging up, Emma lay in bed for another five minutes. She considered simply staying in bed but knew that would only lead JT to walk around back and bang on her window until she got up, so she decided to get out of bed. She headed to the bathroom to splash water on her face. This helped her wake up, so she finished getting ready.

Several minutes later, Emma, now dressed in sweats, left a note on the refrigerator so her family would know she'd left. She walked out the front door to find JT standing in the front yard waiting.

"Good morning," JT greeted. "Again."

"Morning? Yes. Good? Not so much. So what's with this sudden exercise kick?"

"It's not sudden. You know I always wanted to play basketball. I could have, too, if it weren't for that whole thing about not being able to shoot a basket to save my life. Not to mention a complete lack of athletic ability. And just because I'm not running around in a mascot suit anymore, that doesn't mean I can't stay active. At least a little."

"So you're getting me mixed up in this because…What? Misery loves company?"

"I figured you might enjoy a little exercise, Emma."

"You'll have to do better than that."

"I thought I'd honor you with my presence even earlier than usual for a Sunday?"

"You'll have to do WAY better than that."

"You make me eat healthy sometimes, so I'm exacting cruel revenge by getting you up and moving around early – well, early for you – being the mean sort that I am?"

"We have a winner!"

"But if you think you can't keep up with me…" he challenged.

"Can't keep up?"

"Yeah. If that's the case, I fully understand and you can feel free to go back inside to bed. Wouldn't want to do anything to damage your pride or anything."

"You'll think damage as you're inhaling my dust," Emma declared. "I'll always stay several steps ahead."

"Is that so?"

"Did I say steps? I meant feet."

"Feet?"

"Yards. And soon, entire blocks. You see, JT, you're skinny and used to sweating buckets in a costume, but that only served to balance out all the burgers and hot dogs and grease and who knows what else you ingest on a regular basis. I've got a lifetime of healthy eating on my side."

"So you're NOT going back to bed?"

"Not a chance. Now quit talking and let's run."

"I thought we were just jogging, Emma."

"If that's all you can handle…"

"It's good to know that the newer developments in our relationship haven't hurt your competitive spirit," he joked.

"Thank you, JT. I knew you'd be pleased. But all your sweet talk won't stop me from outlasting you. Let's go!

Later, JT was jogging and finishing a joke.

"So then the spider says to his wife, 'If the maid doesn't stop vacuuming up all the good cobwebs around here, you're going to have to fire her.' Emma?"

He looked to his right side and didn't see her.

"She was here just a minute ago."

JT turned around and saw Emma leaning against a stop sign half a block back. He then jogged back to her.

"You know, Emma, you could have just said you'd already heard my jokes about the suburban spider family."

"Very funny," Emma said between heavy breaths. "I can't believe we've gone so far. How long have we been out here? A half-hour?"

"Try a few minutes," JT smirked. "I think we made it nearly three blocks."

"Don't you dare laugh at me, JT."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Just then, a woman in her 60s wearing a tight, bright pink jogging suit was running by but stopped when she saw the couple standing at the stop sign.

"Move it or lose it, little girl," the woman said.

"Excuse me?" Emma asked, annoyed.

"These younger women today can't keep up," the woman told JT. "Say, you don't look half bad. Ever fancy an older woman?"

"Um, not in forever," JT answered, looking uncomfortable at being hit on by this senior citizen. "But thanks for the offer."

"That's too bad. You might have come close to keeping up with me. In ALL areas. But, your loss. You two have fun in the slow lane of life."

She then departed, resuming her run down the block.

"Emma, do you ever think that maybe this neighborhood isn't really in Toronto, but more like the Twilight Zone?"

"You're actually willing to talk to me?" Emma questioned, now more rested and breathing normally. "An obviously out of shape lump?"

"Hey! You're MY obviously out of shape lump."

"Thanks."

"Kidding. You're a walker, and you can march up and down the street for hours carrying a picket sign better than anyone, but you're not used to jogging long distances."

"Three blocks is not a long distance," she countered.

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry? JT, I've just been outrun by Grandma Moses."

"But look on the bright side."

"What's that?"

"Unlike her, at least you don't have to take your teeth out and put them in a jar every night."

Emma laughed.

"Well, I HOPE you don't," he added.

"Let's get back to it," Emma smiled, "but maybe a little slower for now."

Emma started jogging, with JT still standing at the stop sign.

"You DON'T take them out at night, right?" he asked as the distance between them increased.

JT started to run after her.

"Hey Emma, wait up!"

Liberty, meanwhile, entered Ryan's Grille and sat down at the counter.

"Morning, Liberty," Patrick, who was working behind the counter, greeted.

"Hello, Patrick. Can I get some toast and coffee?"

"No problem. Let's see if I remember how you like it. That's whole wheat for the coffee and no cream and sugar in the toast, right?"

Liberty laughed.

"Something like that."

"You doing okay?" Patrick asked. "You're normally a morning person, but today you seem a little out of it."

"I'm fine. Roger was supposed to join me for breakfast, but when I called him this morning, he decided he would rather sleep in. So I'm alone this morning."

"Alone? Nonsense. You can watch me toil behind this counter."

"There aren't exactly that many customers in here right now," she reminded him.

"I never said it would be an exciting viewing experience, just that you wouldn't have to be on your own. The Sunday morning shift is about as exciting as watching paint dry, but at least I get free food – a benefit of being the owners' son. I'll be back with your food in just a moment. If anyone comes in while I'm gone, feel free to yell out at me to come back."

"Will do."

After Patrick went into the kitchen, Liberty looked around at the handful of customers located at various tables and booths. Most of the occupants were couples. She sighed and turned to once again face front. Soon, Patrick returned with her breakfast.

"Here you go," he said, placing the food and drink in front of her.

"Thanks. So, it's been a few weeks. I think it's safe to say our little game of interference in JT and Emma's lives worked out for the best."

"I'm just glad all that happiness hasn't effected their ability to act like normal people. They're not so obsessed with one another that they can't focus on other things. JT's still cracking jokes and talking about every old comedy ever made. And Emma's still here, there and everywhere handing out flyers and pamphlets about all sorts of causes."

"True, Patrick. They're still the same basic people they've always been. At least I think so. Except the other night I was driving through the neighborhood and I thought for sure I saw JT running down the sidewalk carrying her in the air."

"Couldn't have been them, Liberty. They may be crazy in love, but that sounds too bizarre even for them."

"You're probably right," she responded. "However, from what I can see, as much fun as they had together as friends, they're having an even better time now."

"Just as we predicted would happen."

"Perhaps the best romances are those that start off as friendships. That could also explain why things between Roger and me aren't…"

"Aren't what?" he asked after Liberty didn't complete her sentence.

"Nothing," she replied. "I don't think I told you, but Roger wasn't exactly happy when he heard about the double date. I couldn't believe it."

"Didn't you tell him that it was all a charade designed for JT and Emma's benefit?"

"Yes, but he still thought it was wrong. But what does he know, right?"

"Right."

"Besides," she continued, "not only was the evening a success but it was fun as well."

"Sorry he was such a pain about the whole thing."

"Don't worry about it, Patrick. Say, how are things progressing for YOU in the romance department?"

This caused him laughed.

"Romance? What's that? There hasn't exactly been a whole lot of extra time for such things."

"Once you find the right person, I'm sure you'll find the time," Liberty assured.

"That's the other problem – finding the right girl. It seems like most of the people in school that I might like to go out with are already paired up."

"Maybe you should demand that Emma and JT fix you up with someone," Liberty joked. "Tell them it's compensation for your part in helping them open their eyes."

Both laughed.

"By the way, Liberty, good job on that presentation in Simpson's class."

"What, you mean you didn't fall asleep?"

"Not at all. Where did you find the information for that part where…"

Later, JT and Emma returned to her house and sat down on the front steps.

"Mark my words, JT. I'm going to get better at this, then we'll see who has trouble keeping up with whom."

When JT didn't respond, Emma looked over at him. It looked to her as though his mind was elsewhere.

"JT, are you listening to me?"

"Huh? Oh, of course. I was just thinking."

"Okay, but be careful. You know your brain is only equipped for thinking a few hours per week. Don't want to use up all this week's time right away."

"It's been a fun morning so far," JT remarked. "What if we had more time to do things like this?"

"Then I imagine my feet would probably fall off."

"No, Emma. For real."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, suppose I quit that theater job."

"Quit?" she asked, startled. "Why on Earth would you do that?"

"I'm not saying I will," he replied. "I'm just speaking hypocritically."

"I think you mean hypothetically."

"Oh. Okay, that too. Anyway, let's suppose that I quit. Then we'd have a lot more time to spend together. I wouldn't have to leave right after school to go to work several afternoons a week. We could have more Friday dates like the one the other night. You wouldn't have to feel like a neglected girlfriend."

"I don't feel neglected. Far from it. We spend plenty of time together, so don't make this about us. Besides, you like your work. You're good at what you do. So where's this all coming from?"

"Maybe I'm just kidding myself about working there."

"You're the assistant manager. Don't you know how good that is?"

"Some might say that being anything less than manager isn't worth much."

"Who said that?" Emma demanded, displeased that someone might say such a thing to JT.

"But hey," he continued, "it's not like I'm exactly the brightest guy on the block. Maybe I should just shut up and be happy that someone bothered to hire me at all."

"I'm all for the shutting up part, at least until you stop talking like that. JT, You used to make C's and D's. In the last few years, you've gotten to where you make B's and the occasional C. Doesn't sound like a guy who isn't bright to me. And on top of that, you have a good job that you've kept for a couple of years, this year becoming assistant manager. I can't imagine anyone with any sense thinking that's a bad thing. I've also heard the owner Sal say that you know the ins and outs of that place and how to keep it running as well as he does. You're not quitting."

"I never said I was. Just considering the possibility."

"Well, don't do that either."

"Bossy one, aren't you?" JT said, smiling.

"Someone has to protect you from the more warped thoughts that creep into your head. But I do wish you'd tell me how you ever got the idea that this job wasn't right for you or that you weren't right for the job."

"It's not important, Emma."

"I think it is, but I won't press you on it. Just don't believe it. And also know that I am extremely proud of you – or at least as proud as I can be of a cruel person who gets me outside running down the street like a crazy lady at the crack of dawn, all in the name of exercise."

JT laughed.

'This has got to be coming from JT's dad,' Emma thought. 'That phone conversation yesterday is really getting to him. Mr. Big Shot Lawyer keeps right on proving that he hasn't got a clue about his son. I'd call him a jackass, but the animals don't deserve such a comparison.'

JT noticed that Emma was staring at him.

"What?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Oh…nothing," she responded, not wanting to have to share those thoughts about his father with him. "Just trying to picture what you'll look like when you're old. After all, we saw the senior citizen equivalent of Manny earlier."

"Huh?"

"Come on. Old lady. Tight, pink clothing. Inappropriately hitting on you. Definite Manny vibe."

JT rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Emma, we need to get cleaned up. Then we can go have breakfast."

They stood up.

"Okay, JT. Pick me up in 20 minutes."

"You know," JT offered with a smile, "we could always save time and shower together."

"Go home," Emma laughed. "Now."

"I'm just saying…it's a good method of conserving water."

Emma started walking into her house.

"See you in a few, JT."

"And you call yourself an environmentalist."


	20. And So Good For You

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Disclaimer: **If you don't have this part figured out after 19 previous disclaimers, I'm not going to help you.

**Notes:** Thanks to **Karen B.**, **YellyBelly**, **amricangrl** and **cutiepye06655** for the recent reviews. I'm glad people enjoy the mix of humor with the romance and drama. When focusing on Emma & JT, there can't help but be lighter moments even when the situation is serious.

Regarding Karen's comment concerning Emma's eating chicken, good catch, but it's intentional on my part as opposed to a mistake. Hopefully you continued reading and saw other "chicken" moments, including Ch. 8, where Emma makes a rather lame justification. Someone else will also call her on the issue in an upcoming chapter.

**Chapter 20 -- And So Good For You**

Having showered and changed, JT returned to the Nelson/Simpson house in his car to pick up Emma. They then drove over to Ryan's. The couple entered and found Patrick behind the counter still talking to customer Liberty, who turned to see who was walking in.

"Are my eyes deceiving me or is that JT Yorke and Emma Nelson?" Liberty asked. "I didn't think either of you knew time existed this early on Sunday."

"I didn't," Emma explained, "but JT's a bad influence."

"I do what I can," JT joked.

"Out getting some exercise?" Patrick asked.

"We tried, but about five feet from her house Emma started griping. Something about a collapsed lung. Whine, whine, whine."

Emma swatted JT's arm with the back of her hand.

"Don't listen to him," Emma said as she sat down beside Liberty.

"Enjoy the fresh air?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," JT replied, "there's nothing like the aroma of exhaust fumes from passing cars."

"I practically had to drag Mr. Negative here outside. He wanted to sleep all day, but I said exercise would do him some good."

"If Emma's going to lie like this on Sunday, I'm moving back behind the counter next to Pat before lightning strikes her."

"Okay, I admit it. The early morning jog was HIS latest idea."

"But keep it to yourselves, guys," JT cautioned. "Nobody needs to get some crazy idea that Emma's healthy lifestyle is having an effect on me."

"Nothing like that," Patrick said sarcastically.

"What's going on around here?" JT asked. "Where are all the people?"

"You missed the early Sunday morning customers. About now it's usually sparse until around 10:30 or so. What'll the two of you have?"

"Toast for me," Emma answered. "I'm guessing JT wants some doughnuts, so bring a couple of those out. Oh, and orange juice for both of us."

"You got it. I'll go take care of it in just a moment."

"You know, Emma, I might have wanted something different. Maybe some fruit."

"Yeah, right."

"JT, wouldn't you like to go into the kitchen with Patrick and help him?" Liberty urged.

"I've seen Pat put doughnuts on a plate and bread in a toaster before, Liberty. It's not that exciting. I think he can manage."

"Something tells me she and Emma want time alone for some girl talk," Patrick suggested.

"Hey, if I wanted to hang around a kitchen I could have stayed at home," JT complained

"You'll live," Emma assured him.

"Okay, fine. But no gossiping about me – unless you're going to talk about how I'm such a wonderful person, adored by millions."

"Oh, I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Emma said, rolling her eyes.

JT and Emma shared a brief kiss, then JT followed Patrick into the kitchen, leaving Emma and Liberty seated at the counter.

"JT's considering eating fruit instead of doughnuts?" Liberty asked Emma. "That's rather odd, don't you think?"

"Oh, he's just got a lot on his mind. Family stuff. He'll be okay."

"That's good. So, Emma, have you two set a date yet?"

"For what?"

"A wedding, of course."

Emma laughed.

"Rushing things a tad, don't you think, Liberty? In addition to finishing up this school year, there's also that little matter of getting a college education."

"It's never too early to at least start thinking about it. Especially when you've got the perfect guy so totally devoted to you."

"Sorry to break it to you, my overly romantic friend, but there are no weddings planned for anytime soon. Though I WILL grant you the idea that he's devoted. It's mutual."

"No, really?" Liberty asked sarcastically.

"JT is the first boyfriend I've ever had who didn't treat me as just an afterthought. He actually wants to hear about what I'm doing and the things I'm interested in. Oh, he's usually got some sarcastic comment or four to go with it, but I'd be worried if he didn't. Wouldn't want things too good. I guess there's something to be said for falling in love with your best friend after all. I've never felt as connected to anyone as I do him. Disgusting, isn't it?"

"Tragic."

"Liberty, can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

"I HAVE imagined us getting married some day."

"You and me?" Liberty teased. "Oh, Emma, I didn't know you cared."

"Very funny. I meant I've imagined JT and I getting married some day. But I've only imagined that once. Okay, twice."

Liberty stared at her.

"All right. Three times. And that's my final offer!"

Liberty laughed.

"But not as something that would happen until years from now," Emma cautioned. "I know. I'm pathetic."

"You're secret's safe with me."

"But enough about me. How are things going with Roger? Any big future there?"

"Things are good," Liberty replied after some thought. "We have fun. A lot of fun. A lot of good fun."

"I sense a 'but' coming," Emma predicted.

"No. We're good. We have a very comfortable relationship."

"Comfortable?"

"Yes. Comfortable and stable and…dependable."

"Well…um, dependable is a good thing."

"Exactly. Also, it's not like I've had many boyfriends, Emma. Maybe it's normal."

"What's that?"

"Sometimes it all feels so…routine. Predictable."

"Routine can be good," Emma offered. "Look at me and JT. We've been watching movies at the same time every Saturday afternoon for years. We even sit in the same theater seats every time."

"That's more of a tradition. I'm talking about feeling like everything is always the same. Nothing new ever happens. You can't tell me it's the same way with the two of you."

"That's true. One of us is always suggesting we go somewhere or do something we haven't before. And you know what our conversations are like and how they cover a wide range of topics. Sometimes we don't even make sense but that never seems to matter."

"Right," Liberty agreed. "Even your disagreements are somewhat entertaining. I'd have thought it would be a lot more interesting dating Roger than it's turned out. I mean, we're both in the chess club. How could we NOT be a fun couple?"

"Oookay."

"Watching you and JT. There's a real spark. Now I'm beginning to think that maybe something's really missing between Roger and me."

"I hope you're not trying to tell me that the problem with your boyfriend is that he's not JT."

"Of course not," Liberty quickly assured. "Those particular feelings about JT are part of the past."

"I thought so, but figured I'd better make sure."

"I'm talking about how the two of you have a relationship where you don't even have to try to have a good time, it happens naturally."

"Don't assume you have problems just because you two aren't acting like us. Each couple has its own way of doing things, depending on the personalities involved. Plus, you know JT and I have a lot of history together, so it's bound to make things different. After all, you and Roger didn't know much about each other when you first went out other than that you both like chess."

"That's true."

"But do whatever you need to do. If you think life with Roger is on the dull side, but he's worth hanging on to, then find ways to make the relationship more interesting. But if you think there's someone else out there that's more what you're looking for, you should let Roger go."

"That's good advice, Emma. I'll give it some thought."

"Decide what it is you want and go for it. Oh, as long as that doesn't include you going all retro and trying to hit on my man."

They both laughed.

"Look, whether it's Roger or someone else, I'm sure everything will work out for the best and you'll end up with someone who's perfect for you."

"Now you're even start to SOUND like JT, Emma, complete with his 'everything will work itself out for the best' attitude."

"Scary, isn't it?"

Patrick entered from the kitchen carrying a tray of food and drinks, with JT following.

"Breakfast is served," Patrick said. "It IS safe to come back, right? All through with the gossip, private female matters or whatever goes on when the guys are away?"

"Yes," Emma replied. "We just completed the ritual sacrifices. Looks like everything is here except the doughnuts. JT, don't tell me you couldn't wait and you devoured them all in the kitchen."

"Nah, I figured I'd have a piece of toast along with you," JT said, sitting down next to Emma.

Emma looked questioningly toward Patrick, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey, JT was just telling me in there about how he's going to continue to have a whole house to himself, only now it's going to be a more permanent thing."

"Oh?" Liberty questioned.

"Yeah, Dad's starting up a new firm in Manitoba," JT explained between bites. "Aside from sorting out a few loose ends here next week, he's gone for good."

"That's big," Liberty said.

"It's outrageous," Emma added.

"Emma…"

"Don't try to excuse him, JT" Emma said.

"He's moving forward with his life, which couldn't have been easy since my mother's death. I've had my friends, and you in particular, but he's had to tough it out alone."

"Then it might have been easier on him if he'd stayed here, with his son."

"That's…not his way."

"So, Liberty," Patrick interjected, "what can we expect in the next issue of the school paper?

"Huh?" Liberty asked, caught off guard.

"That was his less than subtle attempt to change the subject," Emma told her.

"Oh."

"But there's no need," JT said, "because there's no problem, because everything's great."

"JT…"

"Don't worry about a thing, Emma. Besides everything being okay about my dad, everything's great between you and me. Right?"

"Never better."

"Ah, but it CAN get better and it will. I've been doing some thinking."

"It better not have anything to do with that ridiculous idea about you quitting your job."

"Quitting?!" Patrick exclaimed.

"Someone gave him this ridiculous notion that he's ineffective. But I talked him out of all that."

"Good."

"No, Emma, it's not about work," JT said. "It's just that I'm starting to figure out how selfish I am."

"JT, you're about the last person I'd describe as selfish."

"I've decided that I should follow your example and try to avoid unhealthy food," he revealed. "That's why I'm not eating any doughnuts today. You'll never have to worry about me having health problems and becoming a burden to you."

"I'm all for a sensible diet, but I don't want you to drop something you enjoy just for me."

"It's simple. When I become too annoying or too much of a burden, people leave. Now that I know this, I can make sure it never happens again."

"JT…"

"Hey, speaking of burdens, and for that matter speaking of fathers, since Pat mentioned mine a moment ago…my father, not my burden, of which I have none. Burdens that is, not fathers, since of course I have a father. Anyway, I've got a new joke."

"A joke?" Patrick asked.

"What is it?" Liberty questioned.

"I don't think now is the time," Emma argued. JT, however, disagreed.

"Anytime is a good time for a joke. This one's really more of a funny story than a joke, but you get the idea. You see, there once was this real goofy kid. Not dumb really, but not too bright sometimes. Still, he always thought he was a pretty decent person. But then one day the kid found out things about himself he'd never heard before. His father explained all about how he'd never wanted to have a kid in the first place and was planning to get out of the kid's life at the first chance he could. The kid learned that he went to the wrong school, held an embarrassing job and wasn't worth making an effort. This father was rich, so he basically bought his freedom from the kid by making sure the kid was well provided for. So it turns out that no matter what the kid might have tried to do with his life, it wouldn't have made a difference because the father had only tolerated the kid because of the mother, who was by now already gone. But this kid, well, like I said, he was REALLY goofy."

JT paused.

"Now you're all supposed to say 'How goofy was he?'"

"How goofy was he?" Emma asked hesitantly.

"Weak, Emma, but that's okay. Anyway, this kid was SOOOO goofy, that he still couldn't bring himself to get mad at his father, even after learning how the man regretted his son's existence and wanted as little to do with him as possible. The kid still couldn't hate him. See? I told you it was a funny story. I don't know why you all aren't laughing. I mean, can you imagine anyone in real life being so ridiculous? What normal kid wouldn't hate his father if he learned what this kid learned? A very goofy person, that kid in the story."

"Um, okay," Patrick said, both confused and concerned.

"But I bet that even this kid would then figure out that he'd better work extra hard to make sure nobody else he cared about would start to think that way and want to leave him."

"This is all very fascinating," Emma said sarcastically.

"Emma!" Liberty interjected, not certain that truthful sarcasm was the best approach at the moment.

"Enough of this," Emma decided. "Patrick, our order included some doughnuts. Could you go back and get them? We're having a salad for lunch, so JT's going to need more than just a piece of toast to keep his stomach from getting angry."

"Oh. Of course."

Emma then looked toward Liberty.

"Right," Liberty said, picking up the signal. "Why don't I help you out with that, Patrick?"

"Okay," Patrick responded. "Emma, let me know if someone comes in."

Patrick and Liberty went into the kitchen.

"Guess they didn't find my story amusing," JT said. "Maybe they don't get my sense of humor. Lucky for me, you always do."

"That's right, JT. I always get what you're saying."

"But what's with the re-order on the junk food, Emma?"

"How selfish can you get?" the blonde responded bluntly. "You mean to say that you would deny me the pleasure of rolling my eyes and making sarcastic remarks about your eating habits just because you don't want to become some burden on me? You can't just up and change the rules like that."

"I don't get it."

"Face it, JT. You eat junk. You like junk. Your body is so used to junk that at this point it probably wouldn't function properly without a regular dose of it. In return, I not only reserve the right to roll my eyes and make comments, but I also get to convince you to eat the occasional healthy foods, such as that salad you're fixing us for lunch later on. We're not changing things. I also don't want to hear any more talk about burdens. You're often an annoyance, but never a burden."

"Thanks. I think."

"You were supposed to smile at that last remark, JT," Emma said, her tone losing its harshness. "Anyway, I also wouldn't get too worked up about…that kid's situation. You see, I know the sequel to that first story."

"There's a sequel?"

"You haven't heard it? Well, first of all, we have to clear something up. This wasn't some kid, but rather a good-hearted, funny young man. Anyway as it turns out, even though the guy's father – obviously a man with no sense – didn't want to be there, the guy soon realized there was still someone else there alongside him. He turned around and this other person – a very attractive young woman who happened to be loved by animals and trees everywhere – smacked the cute but sometimes incredibly dense guy in the back of the head to jostle his brain. He should have remembered that the woman was there, and would always be there. After all, she, in her own way, was equally REALLY goofy."

"Okay, how goofy WAS she?" JT laughed.

"She was SOOO goofy, that she found the guy's own goofiness very appealing and she would never let anything happen that would cause her to want to leave. You know, the same way that I'm not going to leave either, despite any possible so-called burdens, personality conflicts, or annoyances."

"That IS a good sequel. But he wasn't worried. I wasn't worried. About you leaving. Or her leaving. Or anybody else leaving."

"Then you shouldn't have a problem eating your fill of doughnuts."

"I would kinda like one. Or three."

"JT, I'm sorry that you…I mean, I'm sorry that the guy in the first story had to hear those things from his father. Whether the man meant it or not, he shouldn't have said it."

"If it's the truth, better to know it than believe a fantasy, right?"

"Only as long as you…or rather as long as the guy in the story also knows that he has a lot going for him. All of it good. And a lot of people know this, and they don't want him to change his ways because of some unnecessary fear that they'll leave, too."

"I'm sure he knows, but he also appreciates the reminder."

"I hate him so much," Emma stated.

"Who?"

"You know who. I guess he was also the one responsible for making you question your work accomplishments."

"Well…"

"I knew it."

"Don't hate him, Emma."

"JT, I know you like to think I'm this really good person who can't be mean…"

"Well," JT smiled, "I know you still try to avoid stepping on cracks because you think there's the slightest chance that landing on one might cause your mom back problems."

"The point is, I'm a very emotional person, JT. You know this. That means I'm capable of hating someone. Intensely."

"Don't. Whatever he's said, he's still my dad. Besides, he's not worth you feeling that way. I know you COULD feel that way, but you shouldn't. Even when things between you and Manny were at their worst, you didn't hate her."

"I can't promise you that I won't hate him, but how about if, for now, I attempt a lesser form of contempt. Maybe, simply loathing him?"

Both shared a slight laugh.

"He's still rotten, though," Emma said softly.

"Emma…"

"And I won't apologize for saying that, either. Whether he wants to be a father or not, he is one and he should not say things that make you start to doubt yourself."

"I still can't get mad at him."

"I wish you would, JT."

"I know. Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I've NEVER thought you were some sickeningly sweet perfect person."

"I know."

"After all, you don't eat hamburgers. You have no appreciation for the Three Stooges. And every Christmas, you go crazy and break down in tears when you're at the Christmas tree lot because you start thinking about how all those trees were chopped down just so people can take them home and hang decorations on them for a few weeks."

Emma laughed.

"Then there's the fact that…"

"Fine," Emma interrupted. "You've made your point. You know that I'm far from perfect."

"Perfect is impossible, Emma. And probably very boring."

"Then between the two of us, we're never going to fall into a rut. By the way, was this morning's little torture session, err, I mean jogging session, just part of your idea to keep me happy?"

"No, I genuinely wanted to jog. And I REALLY wanted to drag you along with me."

"Just my luck," Emma sighed.

"So you'll still get your chance to prove whether you can become better and faster than me."

Emma groaned.

"JT, at this rate, my feet really ARE going to fall off."

"That's okay. Look at it this way: that means I can get one of those handicap stickers for my car, since I'll be carting around a girl with no feet. Just think, I can finally get all the good parking spaces near the front of buildings."

"And on that note, I think I should go into the kitchen and see what's holding up your breakfast."

Liberty stuck her head out from the kitchen.

"Is everything okay? Not that I was listening in or anything."

"Sure, Liberty. Nothing like that. Everything's great. You can tell Patrick to bring out JT's food."

"Will do!" Patrick called out from the kitchen. "Oh, not that I've been listening in or anything."

"Patrick! Um, we'll be out in a moment, guys," Liberty said, embarrassed.

Emma laughed.

"I think I scared them off earlier," JT said.

"Nah, it's just more fun to eavesdrop," Emma assured him. "Besides, that so-called funny story you told wasn't one of your better ones, but I'm very glad you finally told it. I just knew, ever since last night, that you didn't like what you were told in that phone conversation. Now, tell me – is there anything else he said that bothered you that you haven't mentioned?"

"Well…"

"Is it about me?"

"Yeah," JT sighed. "He wasn't too impressed when I shared my news about us. I don't want to quote what he said exactly, so let's leave it at that, okay?"

"Okay. I don't care what he thinks about me, considering what I think of him. So don't let it bother you."

"Emma, I want you to know that I didn't lie to you last night. He did say he would make an effort to get to know you during his visit next week."

"Sounds about as appealing as having a root canal. And just so you know, you don't have to say things like 'I didn't lie to you'. You've never lied to me before and I know you won't."

"That's true," JT agreed.

"Because you love me," Emma said.

"Well, yeah, there's that. But mainly it's the fact that you can be very scary when you're angry with someone. You could probably rip me in half. I'm not taking any chances."

Emma laughed.

"Anyway, thanks again. For telling me things I already knew but might possibly have needed to hear anyway."

Emma smiled, but then put on an obviously fake serious look.

"Don't thank me. To think you were finally going to start eating only healthy foods and I stopped you. I think I'll plead temporary insanity."

"Hey, there's only room for one insane person in this relationship, Emma."

"That hardly seems fair."

"So…again, you're sure there's not something…about me? Maybe something wrong with me that he sees that makes him not want to be a part of things here?"

Emma then realized it would still take awhile to undo the damage Nathaniel Yorke had done to JT's confidence.

"I'm sure, JT."

Looking relieved to hear his girlfriend's answer, JT smiled.

"Good."


	21. Reflections

The Long And Winding Road

Notes: Thanks to **YellyBelly **(who doesn't sound like a broken record to me)**, cutiepye06655** and **amricangrl** for the recent reviews and encouragement.

Chapter 21 -- Reflections

It was the middle of Sunday. Emma sat at JT's kitchen table stacking several sheets of paper together. She placed the stack down on the table and went to the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of water then returned to her chair.

It shouldn't take JT much time to fix up this English paper before tomorrow. He really knows how to put his ideas down on the page; he just needs to fix some misspellings. I swear I think he comes up with so many peculiar ways to misspell words that his computer's spellcheck now just gives up and lets everything pass, right or wrong.

This house seems so quiet when he's not here. Figures he would offer to fix us a big salad for lunch and not realize he's missing a few key ingredients – like lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots and salad dressing. I offered to go with him to the store, but he said I should just stay here and relax for awhile. He's no doubt trying to make up for disrupting my sleep this morning, as well he should.

Before he left, I tried to explain how to pick a good tomato, but he said one tomato is like another. Then he added that if it became too much trouble he'd save time and buy a new bottle of ketchup instead, which he said would give us all the "tomatoey goodness" we'd need. I frowned at him, hoping he wouldn't notice that I was trying not to give in and laugh at his joking around.

Needless to say JT doesn't like spending too much time grocery shopping. Unless it's for snacks. In that case, he becomes very particular about which chips are the best, which brands of frozen pizza to avoid and which cold drinks to buy. I regularly make sure he remembers to pick up some juice and fruit and other healthy items. He groans and agrees, with the warning that he's only doing it so there will always be things I like available when I'm here. He says that but he eats it all anyway. I'd like to think that's at least in part the result of my influence on him over the years. He likes to act silly about things, but he knows what's good for him.

I know his mom would be proud of how he's doing. School, work, his friendships, us. He even takes care of things around here. He still has one closet that's jam-packed with all the stuff he doesn't want to throw away. I'm sure if you looked deep enough in there, you'd find the bones of Jimmy Hoffa.

But the rest of the house, including his bedroom, is actually organized. He even runs a vacuum through the house every now and then, though I did have to show him how to work it the first time back in the Spring. He thought if he just plugged it in and turned it on, it would move around by itself. When he found out he actually had to push it around the room, he was less than pleased, but he did it anyway. Within minutes, he had gotten himself all tangled up in the extension cord and I couldn't help laughing, but then he just started acting like we were in a movie, that I was holding him prisoner and had tied him up.

JT can find humor in just about every situation. But he does have a serious side, a side the people closest in his life get to see. For instance, he and I tease each other about everything, but there are times when he'll stop for a moment and double-check that he hasn't gone too far and said something as a joke that might really annoy or upset me. He never goes too far, but it's sweet that he wants to make sure.

I'm so concerned about this thing with his dad. Part of me is glad that Nathaniel Yorke now plans to stay away from here after next week. Less reasons for JT to feel stressed. And JT certainly never doubts himself any other time. Only when he's thinking about or talking to his father. This whole business about not having a good enough job or a good enough life is bad enough. But then to have your own father tell you that – given the choice – he would have never had a kid…How is JT supposed to respond when he hears something like that? JT being JT, he won't bring himself to lash out.

I think that's one of the main differences between the two of us. Yeah, we have different food preferences and different interests, but that's relatively minor. Our big difference is that he will take in the bad stuff and either try to let it go or try to find a way to put a humorous spin on it. Me? I like to bulldoze my way through a bad situation or shout down a troublemaker. JT prefers to deal using one-liners, while I make speeches. So if I was in JT's shoes, I'd tell that man to back off, then I'd have a lot to say and he would have to listen because I wouldn't get out of his face until he did.

I've never known how to keep from saying what I think at the exact moment when I think it. No holding back. In a way, what makes JT and I such a good team – well, one of the many ways – is that I encourage him to speak up more when something's bothering him, to not hold back so much. And he tries to get me to, not so much hold back, but remain open to hearing the other side of a situation before getting myself in too deep. And if all else fails, he reminds me to breathe when I'm in the midst of a tirade.

Of course there was one time when I really did go too far, and it almost cost me big. I had the best of intentions. I always do. But it didn't go the way I planned. About a year and a half ago, summer was near and we were finishing up our last days in Grade 10 before the break. My friendship with JT had always been good, but it was during Grade 10 that we'd really started getting closer and spending a lot of time together.

It made sense. Chris was history. Manny was Manny, so I wasn't speaking to her unless it was absolutely necessary. Toby had become less and less a part of JT's life. The two of us had years of friendship and were now bonding more and more. We were also the only two still keeping to the Saturday movie plan that JT had initiated for the four of us.

But one Monday afternoon after the last class of the day, JT and Manny approached me at my locker. They shared with me what was to them happy news. They were getting back together. Okay, as much as I start going into monologue mode when something angers me, for once I was so caught off-guard that I was momentarily speechless.

What was JT thinking? They'd tried two other times to be a couple and both times Manny dropped him – the first time to return to Craig, the second time to date two soccer players, neither of whom knew she was dating the other. And let's not get into her indifference to JT most of the time when they WERE together. Her indifference made me think that not only was she a slut, but she was also a complete moron. Manny joked about how, for her and JT, the third time's the charm. JT laughed at her comment, but I had to mentally restrain myself from smacking her in the face.

I then took JT aside, asking Manny to excuse us for a moment. (Boy, did I hate being polite to her, but I had to talk to JT privately.) The two of us went around the corner. I proceeded to ask him if he'd given leave of all common sense. What could he expect to gain by getting mixed up with that girl again?

JT was surprised. I think he'd hoped that, as the person who'd by now become his best friend, I'd be happy for him. I know he thought that not only could he make it work this time, but he would also be helping to restore Manny's reputation. But I wasn't having any of it. With my voice raised and various students looking on as though we were rehearsing Degrassi's latest one-act play, I told him all the things that were wrong about Manny, then reminded him of the hurt she'd caused him in the past. I even threw in a few "hells" and "damns" for emphasis, which seemed to shock him most of all, since I don't think he'd ever heard me use those words. And though I don't normally use them, I was really trying to get him to see how serious this situation was.

He joked that they weren't getting married so I didn't need to object as though I was trying to stop a wedding. I told him to shut up and take this seriously because he was about to screw up his life. He said this was what he wanted and he knew what he was doing. He said that I needed to get used to the idea and be happy that he was happy.

Then I yelled back that if he was determined to ignore my help, then he could just go right ahead and let Manny treat him like a pathetic fool, but I wasn't going to stand by and support him. He asked what that was supposed to mean, and I told him that if he was going to get involved with Manny again, then I didn't want to waste my time and friendship on him anymore. I told him to consider me a stranger. Then I turned my back on him and went back around the corner. I slammed my locker shut and warned Manny not to say one word to me. I walked toward the school's front exit and out the door.

The next day at school, he tried to talk to me, but I ignored him, not saying a word. He looked confused, but left me alone. We didn't speak to each other for the rest of the school week.

It was very strange. You don't realize how much a part of your life someone is until they aren't there. No new joke each day. Not that his jokes are all winners. Many are horrible. But the way he tells them can't help but put a smile on your face. No sharing with him the plans for my next petition. He would usually kid me about most of my causes, but he listened anyway and, joking aside, always took me seriously. No asking me to double-check a paper for errors. No lunchtime food debates. No JT.

That Saturday, I decided enough was enough. I got to the theater that afternoon a little early. I apologized and promised that I wouldn't interfere with his relationship. He was gracious, as I should have expected, and didn't make me grovel. I kind of pressed my luck by next telling him that I still wouldn't apologize to Manny for what I said about her, but he just laughed and said he hadn't expected me to. I asked why he didn't seem surprised that I had shown up that afternoon. He said he knew it would all work itself out and that I wouldn't NOT show up for our Saturday afternoon movie get-together. If it had been anyone else, I'd accuse him of overconfidence, but JT was right. We couldn't NOT be friends, so any fights we have aren't going to last.

I can hold a grudge, certainly longer than JT can. Just ask Manny. The only time JT's ever gotten really mad at me, it didn't last a full day. But this had been different. This case of avoiding him for a week, it wasn't really Manny I was so angry with this time, but JT. Looking back, I think maybe a part of me had already started to fall for him. Perhaps some part of me was mad not so much that he'd gotten together with her again but because it wasn't with me. But getting mad about their relationship still wasn't worth pushing him out of my life, even for a week.

Anyway, following the movies that day, we went and got a pizza and talked for hours, joking and catching up on everything we probably would have said during that entire week had I not given him the silent treatment. As it got close to midnight, JT suddenly realized that he was supposed to pick up Manny at 7:30 that evening for a date. She gave him an earful the next day for forgetting, and I had to summon all my strength not to have a big grin on my face at the thought of her, for once, not getting her way with a guy.

But Manny's anger passed quickly enough and they continued dating until midway through the summer. At that point, she seemed to get bored and returned once more to Craig. A month later she learned she was pregnant and two months after that, she had the miscarriage. I did not even consider saying "I told you so" to JT, and though I knew it was in his best interests not to be with her, I was still sorry she had treated him like garbage yet again.

By the time of Manny's miscarriage, I'd already tried dating a couple of people. Neither situation lasted more than a few weeks. Then JT started dating Melanie in January of this year. I knew right from the start that she was all wrong for him. But since I'd already made a fuss about him and Manny, I held my tongue and tried to be supportive until JT realized exactly the kind of person she was and broke it off on the day of the funeral, defending me against her insults in the process. It was on that otherwise very sad day that I knew I was in love with him, even if it still took several more months to admit it out loud.

Emma got up and left the kitchen, walking toward JT's bedroom.

I haven't been in this room in awhile. Technically this is an invasion of privacy, but I don't think he'll mind too much.

She looked at the pictures on his desk, first the one of his mother, then the one of JT and Emma together.

I love this shot of us. I'm so glad Craig made two of these, one for me and one for JT. What a fun day that was this summer. JT and I were babysitting Jack, and Craig was looking after Angela, so the three of us decided to take the kids out to the park and we had a picnic lunch. JT and I were laughing about something or other and didn't even realize Craig was taking our picture until after the fact.

Oh, here's another picture, this one of me and Manny, with JT in the middle. I think his mom took this one of us back in Grade 6. He hasn't had this picture out in a long time. I guess he felt okay about putting it back now that Manny and I are getting along again somewhat. Us getting along. That's another situation where JT was confident things would work themselves out, even when the rest of us were sure he was wrong. I still have my doubts about her, but we are friendlier these days than we had been in a long time.

Emma went over and sat on JT's bed, looking toward the small bedside table holding an alarm clock and another framed picture.

Since JT mentioned the other night he had my picture by his bed, I've been curious which picture it was. It's my school picture from last year. I didn't think they had turned out so well. It wouldn't surprise me if the low-budget photographer Mr. Raditch hired intentionally waited until the exact moment I wasn't ready to snap the photos. At least I wasn't blinking or making a strange face, but I also wasn't looking directly at the camera. Naturally, when I didn't want to show JT how they turned out, he was all the more demanding to see them, at which point he mocked me for worrying because he thought they had turned out just fine.

To my surprise, he asked for a copy. I asked for one of his pictures as well. At first he didn't want to give me one until he had, in his opinion, improved his picture by drawing a Lone Ranger mask over his eyes, horns on his head and a goatee on his chin. Despite his protests, I made him give me one without any of his so-called corrections. Despite joking around as though he has a super ego, I don't think he knows how attractive he is. Not movie star attractive. He has a real and unpretentious look, with eyes that can see into who you are and what you're thinking, and a grin that even today still makes him look like a little boy who's always up to something that will prove to be both exasperating and endearing.

Okay, it's now a fact. I'm pathetic. JT's only been gone a few minutes and I'm wishing he'd hurry back. But if he asks, I'll blame my impatience on being hungry for lunch. Not that he'll believe me, but at least he'll humor me. To think it took us until last month before we could admit out loud that we were much more than friends. Smart but slow, that's us.

Meanwhile, JT was driving home from the supermarket, a bag of groceries in the seat beside him.

Okay, so the only things I didn't have at home in order to make a salad were, well, everything but the bowl. I told Emma it was a minor technicality. I'm sure she bought it – once she stopped laughing. But that's okay. She's been a good sport today, considering I woke her up early and kidded her about her lack of jogging endurance.

At least as long as she's getting a laugh at my expense, she's not obsessing over that "Animals and Music" presentation she's giving tomorrow. She's had it finished for days, and she'll get a high grade as always, but she'll still worry about it until it's all over.

If it's like every other time right before a big presentation, she'll call me up late tonight, probably after I've just fallen asleep, to ask once more if I think she's ready for the next day. I'll say "of course", she'll thank me and then hang up.

Then within 10 minutes, she'll call again asking if I'm really sure or if I'm only saying that I'm sure just to make her feel better. I'll tell her that I'm really sure, she'll thank me and then hang up. Within another 10 minutes, she'll call a third time to say she knows that I'm right but "just to make sure", she'd like to read to me one more time what she's planning to say in front of the class. I'll agree, she'll go through everything one last time, thank me and then hang up. Then within the next minute she'll call back and thank me again, telling me I made her feel much more confident about what's she's going to do and that she can now sleep easily. She'll hang up and get some sleep while I'm now stuck awake awhile longer until I can finally fall back to sleep.

Sometimes I'll want to joke with her and threaten to take the phone off the hook whenever we start going through this routine, but I know she's not up for jokes at times like that so I don't even try to kid about not taking the next call. It's a process she thinks she needs to go through, so I'm glad I'm able to help. Groggy, but happy to help.

But there's one thing about when she has school worries that sets her apart from the other A-students. Take Liberty. She stresses about papers and presentations, too. But she's all about making sure she gets a high grade, if not the highest. On the rare times she doesn't, you'd think it was the end of the world. That's fine. And Emma wants a good grade, too. But Emma's concerns are more about wanting to put out there all the information she can in the most interesting way. Since she talks about issues that are important to her, she doesn't want to be inaccurate or unconvincing in giving her ideas. If she's made her case, but still gets a B instead of an A, she's okay with that. She has no idea how cool that makes her. To me, anyway.

Then again, maybe she DOES know. She seems to know everything, at least when it comes to me. I'd wanted to tell her that stuff my dad said about me, but I didn't want to burden her with it. It's just stuff I have to sort out in my own mind. But she knew why I thought I should quit. After all, he's got a successful career, so it makes sense that he would be right about what's a good job or a bad job, right? Naturally, Emma reminded me how I've always thought I had a great job until talking to him. So I'm not going to quit it just because he thinks it's a loser job meant for a loser.

I still couldn't just come right out and tell Emma the things he said about being a father, but I couldn't hold it back any longer either. So I tried to put it into the form of a joke. I could say it out loud, get a laugh, and no one would know that I was the joke. Smart as she is, she cut through all of that right away and said the things I needed to hear, especially the part about how she's not going to leave. Like he did. Like Manny did lots of times. Like my mother did, even though in her case it wasn't by choice.

The one not-bad thing that happened in the time right after Mother died was realizing, at Emma's house on the day of the funeral, that I was in love with Emma. That she had somehow become more than my best friend. I think I started feeling that way long before then, but on that day, I knew for sure. It wasn't just because she was helping me survive that day, but because at that moment, sitting outside on those steps with her, it just made sense. She made sense. I'm sure Emma could put it into words a lot better than I can.

Of course, stupid me needed several more months before I could actually tell her. But I had to make sure I wouldn't get burned again. Not that Emma would ever hurt me intentionally. That's not her way. Even that one time she stopped speaking to me for a few days, I knew it wouldn't last. But I finally told her a few weeks ago, and lucky for me the feeling was mutual.

JT reached his house and pulled up into the driveway. He walked straight into the kitchen and set the grocery bag down. He called out to Emma but got no response. He entered the living room but didn't find her, so he decided to look around.

He searched the obvious places. That is, obvious to JT – the hall closet, under the couch, a desk drawer. It finally hit him to look in his bedroom. He went in there and found Emma curled up asleep on his bed, holding the picture of the two of them at the park. He smiled.

Well, there have been lots of times I've thought what it would be like to have a girl in my bed. It wasn't exactly like this, with the girl alone and asleep. But then Emma's always been one of a kind. My angel. I would go over and kiss her, but I already woke her up once today and lived to tell about it. No way am I going to risk waking her up a second time. I'll fix that salad while I'm waiting.

And now I just realized that with her catching up on her sleep right now, she'll probably stay awake even later tonight, finding more reasons to worry about her presentation, which means more reasons to call me back real late, making me miss out on even more sleep. You're a cruel woman, Miss Nelson.

But worth it.

Kinda.

Sorta.

Okay, definitely.

In fact, I won't even kid her about how I now know she makes a slight snoring sound when she sleeps. Well, I won't tease her about it TODAY. After that, no guarantees. And she wouldn't want it any other way.

Next Chapter – The return of spoken dialogue! (But I hope you liked this chapter, since I had wanted to write one that focused on their thoughts.)


	22. The Mongoose & The Ear Biter

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks to **cutiepye06655** & **almost-never** (Welcome Back!) for the recent reviews. And special thanks to **The Vampire Illiana**, **DaRkDrEaMeR23** & **Fearless Dreamer** for reviewing my work for the first time.

**Chapter 22 -- The Mongoose & The Ear Biter**

Monday at DCS, the bell rang at five minutes before noon. Some students would head to their next classes while others would have the next hour off for lunch. In Archie Simpson's classroom, most of the students began to leave. JT, who sat next to Emma, started packing up his things while Emma continued working.

"You're not going deaf are you, Emma?" JT asked.

"Huh?" Emma responded, distracted.

"Maybe you are," JT said laughing.

"What is it, JT?"

"That was the bell. Meaning time to go. Time to eat."

Emma looked up from her computer and toward her boyfriend.

"Oh. You'll have to go on without me today."

"But it's lunch, Emma. Don't you know that lunch is the most important meal of the day between breakfast and dinner? You know, not counting mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks."

"I want to do a little research this hour," she explained.

Simpson walked over toward the two of them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but did you say you're going to be in here for the next hour?"

"That's right," Emma replied.

"Then I'm going to go grab some lunch and be back in awhile. If anyone using the computers this hour has any difficulties and needs my help, you haven't seen me. You don't even know my name."

JT and Emma laughed.

"You know I like helping out my students, but it's nice to have an uninterrupted lunch every once in awhile. See you guys later."

Simpson walked out of the room just as Sean Cameron entered. Sean stopped at the door and looked on as JT and Emma continued talking. Meanwhile Liberty, who was about to leave, noticed Sean and frowned.

"Emma, you just gave a big presentation. Take a break."

"I know, but I haven't been keeping up with current events as well as I should. For example, take a look at this news story."

JT moved his chair closer to Emma's and looked at her computer screen.

"'Concord Man Arrested at Local Petting Zoo'" JT read.

"No, not that story."

"Hmm," JT continued while still looking at the screen. "It says he was caught trying to sexually molest a mongoose."

"I'm talking about the story to the right," Emma said.

"What kind of sick person goes around molesting mongeese?" JT asked, still not paying attention to the story Emma was talking about.

"Mongooses," Emma corrected.

"What?"

"The plural of mongoose. It's mongooses."

"Wait, so all those people who talk about flocks of geese are wrong? It's really gooses?"

"No, JT. It's geese for goose and mongooses for mongoose."

"And you wonder why I ask your help with English papers?" he joked. "Who comes up with this stuff?"

Sean smiled as he listened in on the conversation. Liberty started to leave and met Sean at the door.

"They're good together, don't you think?" Sean commented to Liberty.

"Yes. They are. What are YOU doing here?"

"Uh, I'm planning to get some of my homework out of the way during lunch. Like I usually do."

"I'm keeping my eye on you, Cameron," she warned. "So don't do anything stupid."

"Always nice talking to you too, Liberty," Sean responded as she was walking out the door.

"Can I show you the story now?" Emma asked JT.

"Sure, but you've already given your presentation so it's really too late to worry about what music is most soothing to a nearly molested mongoose."

"Not THAT story! This one." Emma pointed to the story she was referring to. "It says that VCC Chemical is buying a large chunk of land on the outskirts of town. Just what we need, another chemical plant to pollute the area."

"See, you don't need to study the computer. You could have just asked me."

"JT, don't tell me YOU'VE been keeping up with this story. No offense."

"VCC is the company my dad's coming back to town for next week."

"You mean, this is the property deal he's helping finalize?"

"You got it."

"Your father and I really ARE going to have lots to talk about next week," Emma said with a sarcastic tone.

"Never mind about him, Emma. He's unimportant."

Emma took JT's hand.

"Now THAT'S how I like to hear my favorite guy talk."

"You sure you won't come to lunch?"

"I'd love to, JT, but I really want to do some more browsing."

"Want me to bring you back anything so you don't starve?" he then offered.

"No thanks. I've got an apple and a banana in my bag."

"Okay," JT replied, "but that only takes care of two of the major food groups."

"What?"

"Your fruit group and your, uh, your red and your yellow colors food group. But don't worry, I'll bring you back some potato chips and a cookie so you'll have your vegetable group and your chocolate group covered."

Sean laughed slightly while watching this exchange.

"You think of everything, don't you?" Emma said, rolling her eyes.

"That's my job," JT answered.

"See you in about an hour?"

"You got it, Emma."

They kissed. Afterward, JT moved his chair back in front of his computer, stood up and turned around to leave.

"I guess Liberty went on to lunch," JT commented.

"Yeah, she left just a moment ago," Sean responded, walking on into the room. "Hey JT."

"Sean."

"How's it going?"

"I guess that would depend on what the 'it' is that you're asking about."

"Uh, life, I guess. You know. It's just an expression."

"Oh. Okay. I just wouldn't want to answer the wrong question, Sean. Isn't that why you bit that kid's ear off that time?"

"What?"

"What does one taste like anyway? An ear. Would it taste like chicken? Maybe like one of those mongeeses. Did you know, Sean, that there's some guy in Concord who's been arrested for trying to molest one? A mongoose geese. Not an ear."

"JT, I never bit off that kid's ear. I just deafened him in one ear."

JT raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I don't mean I 'just' deafened him as though it was no big deal," Sean clarified. "It was a very big deal."

"I was sure you bit it off. Guess I heard wrong or just didn't remember right. Oh well, either way, some guy's wandering around going 'Huh' half of the time. But I kid."

"No problem."

Emma continued to sit looking at her monitor trying not to start laughing as she was listening to this conversation.

"So, how's the movie business these days?" Sean asked JT, hoping to change the subject. "Show any interesting films lately?"

"A few. How's life at the auto repair shop these days? Steal any interesting spare parts lately?"

"Afraid not," Sean laughed. "But then you know that."

"Oh, that's right. You're on the straight and narrow now. I keep forgetting. Which is silly of me because you're no longer wearing that ski cap and the hooded jacket. Maybe it's the clothing that determines our choices in life."

"You never know."

"So this straight and narrow racket you got going on…hope that's working out for you."

"It is."

"That's good, Sean. But at least you have a solid background in larceny to fall back on if the whole honesty thing gets too boring for you."

"Good to know you're looking out for me, JT."

"Hey, I'm always here to help. Well, I'm starting to get bored now, so if you'll excuse me I should get to lunch before Emma finds news of an otter with swine flu that she wants to tell us about. Oh, and Emma?"

Emma cleared her throat and, trying to keep a straight face, looked up at JT.

"Yes, JT?"

"Perfect presentation," he said simply and sincerely. "Told you it would be."

Emma smiled.

"Thanks. And thanks for all the encouragement, especially late last night. I'm sorry if I kept waking you up with all my phone calls."

"Wake me up?" JT asked, giving an obviously fake yawn that made Emma laugh. "Don't be silly."

"Now go," Emma urged, "before you tempt me to join you."

"Looks like she's onto me. I'd better go. I'll see you in a little while, Emma. Oh and Sean, always a pleasure talking to you."

"Likewise, JT."

JT rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. Sean then sat in front of the computer next to Emma's where JT had been sitting during class.

"Hi Emma."

"Hey Sean."

"Haven't seen you in here during lunch in awhile. It's almost like old times."

While JT put his book bag in his locker, Liberty approached him.

"Hey JT."

"Oh, there you are. Finished lunch already?"

"No, I figured I would wait and find out what happened."

"What happened with what, Liberty?"

"You saw Sean show up in there didn't you?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"And Emma's still in there with him?"

"Yeah."

"JT, do you think that's a good idea? Shouldn't you be there in case Sean tries to hit on her?"

"I trust Emma."

"Of course. It's Sean that can't be trusted. Who knows what that guy is likely to do."

"Just a thought, but I'm guessing he'll do his homework. Or maybe steal a few pencils off Mr. Simpson's desk when nobody's looking. It's a toss-up."

"You're not worried that he's going to start trouble?"

"Sean doesn't have to start trouble," JT answered, shutting his locker. "He IS trouble. Look, Sean may be a lifelong screw-up, but Emma's forgiven him for hurting her in the past, so other than offering up the occasional clever insult, I stay out of it. He shares a couple of classes with me and Emma, so it's not like we don't run in to each other. The two of them in a room together is not something I'm going to get worked up about. And neither should you."

Just then, Manny walked up to them, and Liberty looked annoyed to see her.

"Hey guys," Manny greeted. "Going to lunch?"

"Hopefully, before the hour is over with," JT replied.

"Maybe YOU can talk some sense into him," Liberty said to Manny.

"What's going on?" Manny asked.

"JT left Emma alone in the M.I. lab with Sean," Liberty explained.

"JT, do you think that's a good idea?" Manny responded. "Shouldn't you be there in case Sean tries to hit on her?"

"You know," JT said, "for two people who dislike each other as much as you two do, you seem to be sharing one brain today. Emma is perfectly safe. I don't think Sean is gonna strip down and say 'Yo Emma, I'm here to get me some. So let's get it on.' Even with a history of biting ears off, I think that was only with guys. And that was a long time ago. These days, I think he'd just steal their earrings."

"I thought he deafened some guy," Manny commented. "Not bit an ear off."

"I'm sure we'll never know what really happened," JT told her. "Doesn't matter. Can we go to lunch now?"

"Sure," Liberty said.

The three start walking down the hall.

"Hey, I've got an idea," Manny offered. "One of us, or even all of us, could go back and keep an eye on things. From outside in the hall. They won't have to see us or know we're there, but we'll be able to see if anything's going on that shouldn't be going on."

"Spy on them?" JT asked.

"JT, you know I don't like the idea of agreeing with Manny about anything."

Manny rolled her eyes at Liberty's remark.

"But in this case," Liberty continued, "it might not be such a bad idea."

"Congratulations, ladies. You're both insane. Nobody is spying on anybody. Come on, we're going to lunch. I hear they're serving beef stew. Maybe today they're actually putting beef in it."

Back in Simpson's classroom, Emma and Sean continued to talk rather than work.

"You're right, Sean. It HAS been awhile since we were both in here during our free time. And like in those days, neither of us is exactly getting much accomplished so far. Sean, I hope you didn't get too mad about…well, you know."

"JT? No, I'm not mad at all. Everything's cool. Funny, really. Hey, he's talking to me at least, which is more than some people at this school do."

"Well, people have long memories," Emma reasoned. "If you weren't busy stealing, you were treating someone like a jerk with that tough guy routine of yours. You do that sort of thing for a couple of years and not everyone's going to forgive and forget. You found a way to pay back everyone you helped steal from, right?"

"Yeah. Took awhile, but I did it. And as for the people I was a jerk to, just about everyone that I was friends with before I started hanging out with Jay's crew has been willing to put it in the past."

"Then you've made amends. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Emma. And thanks again for eventually accepting my apology awhile back."

"Don't give me too much credit. I tried to hate you for a long time. But some things you just have to let go."

"Think you might mention that to JT? He's the only friend from before who I still haven't convinced that Gangster Sean is gone for good."

Emma laughed.

"What?" Sean asked.

"Sorry, Sean. It just sounded funny, all things considered."

"What's that?"

"Sean, I don't know what happened with your memory, but you and JT were never friends."

"Of course we were," Sean disagreed, surprised by her comment. "Remember? Me, him and Toby used to hang out together sometimes. I tried to look out for them."

"Okay, I suppose maybe you and Toby were friends. Sort of. And maybe JT happened to be there, too. But I wouldn't say that qualified the two of you as buddies. I know JT never thought the two of you were friends."

"I didn't know that."

"At least a couple of times I had to ask him not to despise you, which he agreed to as a favor to me."

"Because of how things fell apart for you and me?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Then once you add the stealing and treating everyone like garbage to make yourself look cool to your new pals, you can see why he might not be so quick to overlook your past."

"Yeah. I was an ass to him, same as I was to a lot of people. The ones who weren't friends before still look at me suspicious, if they notice me at all. Not that I've ever really cared what anyone thought of me."

"Yeah, right," Emma said sarcastically. "Which is why you tried to get along with my friends when we were going out. Why you did a lot of idiotic stuff to impress that thug Jay and his group of brain deficient weasels. Why you wanted to be sure people here knew you were trying to change your ways and be a nice, honest person again. And now why you're trying to make nice with JT. Face it, Sean, you've always wanted to have people in your life. You're a loner who hates being alone. The problem is you picked the wrong people, or didn't know what to do when you had access to the right people."

"Seems you're still the wisest person at Degrassi, Em. Which is still kind of infuriating."

Emma laughed.

"Anyway, I'm sure you'll convince JT sooner or later, Sean. After all, unlike Mr. Raditch, JT's not accusing you every time the least little thing goes wrong around the school."

"Yeah, Whenever Raditch hears that a paperclip has gone missing, I always end up in his office for questioning."

"I wouldn't worry about Mr. Raditch. You know nobody takes him serious."

"And JT?"

"He's using funny material on you, Sean, so he can't still think you're too miserable. And he didn't argue earlier in the year when I told him I'd decided to forgive you. He might end up being the last person you're able to make peace with, but don't give up. If Manny and I can find some common ground, anything's possible. He's not the kind of person to carry a grudge for very long, which in some ways is too bad considering what his father's like. Now that's a guy who deserves to have JT holding a permanent grudge."

"How did JT get the idea that I deafened that kid by biting his ear off?"

"I don't know. You know how the truth gets distorted through the gossip mill around here."

"True enough," Sean agreed. "So, you and JT... The crusader and the comedian. It looks like you two are doing okay together. Just so you know, I approve."

"That's good, because I've been lying awake every night hoping that you would give me your permission to date him."

"I just mean, I'm happy for you, Em. You deserve to be happy."

"Yeah, I DO, don't I", Emma smiled.

"I don't know if it's because you two were already friends or what, but I can tell he's had an effect on you. You're different."

"How so?"

"For one thing, you're so relaxed."

"You wouldn't say that if you had seen me stressing over my presentation the last few days."

"No, I mean in general. You don't seem so on edge. You've looked really happy these past few months."

"Weeks, Sean."

"Maybe technically. But really it's been months for the two of you."

"I suppose you're right about me being more relaxed. I'm certainly happier than ever. It really shows?"

"Yeah," Sean replied. "You definitely didn't look this happy or this relaxed when you were dating that dumbass Chris Sharpe."

Emma laughed.

"Or those two losers you dated last year."

"So you're happy for me?"

"Does that really matter to you, Emma?"

"Strangely, yes. After all, you were my first boyfriend. You're still a friend. And even though there were a lot of bad times – what with you taking me for granted and being so bitter sometimes – there was also a lot of good mixed in there."

"Then yes, I'm happy for you."

"And I'm glad you're putting your life back on track, Sean."

"What was that you were saying a moment ago about JT's dad?"

"Ugh. A true jerk. Their personalities are so different, you'd never know the two of them were related. And next week JT and I will have the displeasure of spending time with him over dinner."

"Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," Sean suggested.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Yorke sat in his Winnipeg law office speaking on the phone to a detective he sometimes employed back when he was still working in Toronto.

"That's right," Yorke said. "I have another job for you. No, not for a new case. This is a personal matter. You know I'm coming back there a week from today for that deal. Right. Well I'm also going to be stuck spending that evening with my son and some little playmate of his.

"Now normally I wouldn't care who he's with or what he's doing, but he's made it clear to me that he's serious about this one. So I want to learn all I can about this girl. The name is Emma Nelson. Her background, what little I know of it, sounds abysmal. I don't want her hearing wedding bells in her future and thinking she can leech onto my son to get at my money, or even his money.

"I want you to do some digging around. Use some of those connections of yours. Check hospital records, police records, the usual. Even if she has an overdue library book, I want to know about it. Since my son is extremely trusting and not all that bright, I want to be able to show him tangible proof that this is not someone with whom he should associate. No, I don't want you to create any dirt if you can't find some. Even when it comes to personal business, I don't operate that way. This will all be above board. Is that understood?

"Oh, and find out some background information about that school they both attend, Degrassi Community School. I'll be paying a little unexpected visit there next Monday morning before my meetings to see what I can learn, and I want to be prepared. In fact, I'm sure I'll be the first person who's ever been in that school who learned something."


	23. Father's Day

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks to **Blue Leah**, **cutiepye06655**, **Fearless Dreamer**, **The Vampire Illiana**, **almost-never**, **Alexis: Digital Survivor** & **xScandalouSx** for the reviews. I enjoyed reading them, and the feedback is a source of encouragement.

****

Chapter 23 -- Father's Day

Monday morning at DCS, Principal Dan Raditch sat in his office, his door shut. He was hard at work – building a house of cards. He was just about to set one last playing card on top of the second story to serve as a roof when his phone rang. It was the direct line from his secretary's phone in the outer office. Startled, he accidentally knocked down the house he'd spent the better part of the last hour building. Annoyed, he answered his phone line.

"Ms. Gannon, I told you I did not wish to be disturbed," Raditch said gruffly.

"Sorry, but Mr. Yorke is here and would like to speak with you."

"Well tell JT that I'm very busy this morning. He'll have to tell me his latest 'How many principals does it take to screw in a light bulb' joke some other time."

"Sir, it's not JT. It's Nathaniel Yorke, JT's father."

"His father? Okay, give me a moment and then send him in."

Raditch stood and put his suit coat back on. He then noticed that the deck of cards was still scattered on his desk. He started grabbing cards and hurriedly stuffing them in a desk drawer. As he was finishing, his door opened and Nathaniel walked in. Raditch quickly shut the desk drawer and walked toward Nathaniel to shake hands.

"Mr. Yorke, do come in," Raditch greeted. "It's a pleasure to see you."

"Yes, I suppose it would be," Mr. Yorke replied.

"Please, have a seat. Can I have Ms. Gannon get you some coffee?"

"No thanks."

Raditch shut his door while Yorke noticed a playing card on the desk that hadn't been put away.

"I didn't realize a school principal would have so much free time on his hands," Yorke said, holding up the card.

"Now how did that get there?" Raditch said as he sat down at his desk, trying not to show that he was caught wasting time.

"Oh, I remember. I, uh, confiscated it from a student this morning. Yes, that's how it got there."

"It was just this morning and you had to try to remember? And just the one card?"

"Yes, well…"

"Never mind, Mr. Raditch. I'm truly not that interested in what you do here. Or don't do. I'd like to talk about my son."

"You know, Mr. Yorke, in all the years JT has been attending Degrassi, I think this is only the second time we've met."

"His mother stayed on top of things concerning the boy's academic life. With her gone and graduation little more than a semester away, I felt it my duty to check in while I'm in town."

"In town?"

"Yes, thankfully I'm only here for the day. I plan on leaving tonight after dinner. I'm due in court on Wednesday and I'll naturally want to devote tomorrow to final preparations."

"I see. How long will you be away?"

"Permanently, barring the occasional day trip such as this."

"You're not here to pull JT out of school so close to the end of the term are you?

"Of course not. He will do just fine alone and taking care of the house until I sell it late next summer."

"That arrangement is a little…unorthodox. Don't you think?"

"Is this really something you want to get into, Mr. Raditch?"

"Well…"

"I'd like to know how my son is doing in school."

"Quite well, actually."

Raditch called up JT's file on his computer and turned the computer monitor so Yorke could look.

"You'll notice he gets mostly B's. The occasional C. It appears he got an A on his Media Immersion project this month."

"So he's doing all right?"

"Mr. Yorke, to be honest, when JT first started attending here I don't think he knew what an A even looked like. But after the first year, that D average gradually turned into a C and now a B average. You should feel awfully proud of your son. He's accomplished a great deal, including this recent A."

"So you don't anticipate that he'll do something stupid once he graduates."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Well, my son thinks all of life's difficulties can be solved with a joke and a smile. He actually believes there's good in everybody. It's one thing to feel that way when you're a child. But he's going to be 18 years old in January. At least I think it's in January. Anyway, can we speak frankly, Mr. Raditch?"

"Certainly."

"Good grades aside, James has always struck me as the type who'd throw away his money on a handful of magic beans if someone conned him into it. He has money. I wouldn't want him to do anything stupid with it, or with his life in general."

"I think you seriously underestimate your son, Mr. Yorke. JT doesn't strike me as naïve. In fact, far from it. He's quite sharp in his own way. Besides, many of those supposedly childish qualities you say he has sound like strengths. To address your concerns, I think JT will have no trouble once he leaves Degrassi. At least, no more difficulties than any other graduate can expect."

"Now what about the people with whom he associates?"

"What about them?"

"Any bad influences? Signs of corruption?"

"None that I'm aware of. Certainly I'm not around him to the same extent as his teachers, but I've seen nothing to make me think he's keeping company with troublemakers. Now, he had a friendship with a student who graduated last Spring, a Mr. Mason, which seemed to be based on oneupsmanship in the area of insults and practical jokes, but there was no malice or harm involved. All very typical high school behavior."

"What can you tell me about a student named Emma Nelson? I know that she and my son have a romantic relationship of some sort."

"Yes, well as long as students do their work and stay out of trouble, I don't pay attention to their relationships."

"I doubt that's true," Yorke said, again picking up the playing card. "In between naps and games of Solitaire, I'm sure you're as nosy as a suburban housewife."

"Now wait just a minute, Mr. Yorke."

Yorke put the card back on the desk.

"Relax. I already know the basics of my son's relationship with this girl. What I want from you is information about her. What kind of student is she? How much trouble does she get into? Also, how would you assess her personality?"

"It would be completely inappropriate to give you such an assessment about another student."

"Completely inappropriate?"

"Yes."

"I've done some investigating of my own, Mr. Raditch. Please don't tell me that you rule this school strictly by the book. Word among some of the faculty is that it's the teachers here who run the show, in spite of you and your feeble attempts to exert authority. It wouldn't be unfair to say that some characterize you as the school joke."

"That's highly insulting, Mr. Yorke, and I doubt any of the staff here would have told you such things."

"You'd be surprised what employees are willing to say if they can speak with anonymity. Let's look at how you run this facility. Just in the years since my son has been attending, it seems there's been a wide range of dilemmas. There have been kids stealing from both teachers and fellow students, students assaulting one another in the hallways at any given moment, drug and alcohol usage on campus, health code violations…And that's just a sampling. You name it, it's happened. And you've done little to nothing in the way of either handling the specific incidents or developing ways to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

"Meanwhile, you sit here in this office, either oblivious or disinterested in dealing with any situation that might prove somewhat complex. Then, between classes you step out into the halls and hand out detention slips to students for the horrific crime of running rather than walking to their next classes, or for littering, or for being a moment late. After you've proven your authority – at least to your own ego's content – you step back into your office and ignore the realities of your school for another hour.

"I also find it quite interesting that Degrassi has no assistant principal. I know what you're going to say. 'There's not enough money in the budget.' No doubt you're correct. In fact the school district would probably ask you to take a cut in salary to help fund such a position if they decided to create one.

"The presence of an assistant principal would not only reduce your income, but it would also reveal how little you yourself truly accomplish here. I'm sure that this assistant would not remain silent for very long. He'd no doubt be quick to drive you out so that he could take charge."

Raditch, visibly shaken, wiped his forehead.

"Oh, by the way Mr. Raditch, did I happen to mention that the district superintendent of schools is an old friend? I did some legal work for him years ago when I was just starting out. He's quite a good golfer, too, but it's been several years since we've had time to get together. I might have to give him a call soon so we can catch up."

Yorke then stopped talking and smiled at Raditch.

"Um, you said it was Emma that you wanted to learn more about?"

"That's correct, Mr. Raditch. And to think people say you don't listen."

Raditch called up Emma's computer file.

"Emma's one of our top students. Mostly A's, with a few B's. She created an environmental awareness group several years ago. And she's a frequent contributor to our newspaper, including some highly regarded editorials."

"I'm drowning in a sea of warm fuzzies," Yorke said with a combination of sarcasm and disinterest. "Tell me something I might find worthwhile."

"Well, there have been a couple of times where I've reluctantly had to suspend her."

"Oh?" Yorke responded with renewed interest.

"I had no choice. We were butting heads on certain issues and her position went against the best interests of the school. Warnings and threats to get her to put an end to her protests did no good. She stuck to her principles regardless of consequences."

"So what you're saying is that she's a juvenile delinquent who cannot be reasoned with. Someone who puts her own needs ahead of everyone else's."

"That's not what I'm saying at all. You've twisted my words."

"Have I?"

"Though I sometimes disagree with her, she's an honorable student. If forced to get into personal matters, I'd say that she and your son are good influences on one another."

"I disagree. Based on what you've shared and what I already knew, there is nothing good about her influence. Don't misunderstand. If James were merely interested in her for some casual affair, I'd be the first to pat him on the back. Casual sex with the kind of girl you'd never dream of marrying is practically a rite of passage for high school boys. But being the emotional misfit that I'm sorry to say James is, he insists on having a serious relationship with this girl, and without my guidance he won't even notice as she claws her way into this family and into our bank accounts. I'm sure she'd love all the extra money to fund her little Save the Planet campaigns, even if it means getting herself knocked up to insure a place in the Yorke family."

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?" Raditch asked, uncomfortable with this entire conversation and wishing Yorke would leave.

"Oh, I'm certain there are many interesting things you could tell me about this school which you'd rather not see become public, but I think you've told me exactly what I needed to know."

"And your reunion with the superintendent?"

"All things considered, I suppose I'll be too busy in Winnipeg to have time to catch up with him."

Raditch, understanding Yorke's meaning, was relieved.

"I'd better leave and prepare for my meeting. Thank you for your time, Mr. Raditch. After all, I know what a busy, busy man you are."

JT's father then stood up, further indicating to the principal that the unnerving conversation was coming to an end. So he got up as well and walked Yorke to the door.

"Say, I'd like you to do me one last favor," Yorke said once he was at the door.

"What is it, Mr. Yorke?"

"My son didn't know I was stopping here to visit you. I want to keep it that way. So when you're out in the hallways later today – you know, dodging gunfire between students as you go to confront an honors student littering in the corner who's in apparent need of a lecture – don't say anything to James if he happens to walk past."

"I suppose there's no reason for JT to know that we spoke."

"Thank you. It would only disturb him. Half the time I think he has enough trouble simply distinguishing left from right. He would never understand that I'm only looking out for him as best I can. Good day, Mr. Raditch."

Yorke then left the principal's office, leaving behind a very flustered Raditch.

Moments later, the bell rang and students swarmed the halls to go to their next classes. During that time, Emma found JT at his locker retrieving a necessary textbook. She walked up behind JT, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

"Hey you," Emma greeted. "How was English?"

"Terrible, I was awake the whole time," JT replied, turning around to face her and give her a brief kiss. "It was so much easier back in Grade 7. You make bad grades and the teacher doesn't mind when you fall asleep because it's better than listening to you give stupid answers. But once you start showing potential, you have to stay awake the entire time."

"How do you cope with all the pressure?" Emma asked, rolling her eyes.

"I'll let you know after the drugs wear off," JT kidded.

"Not funny, JT."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Bad habit. I'm working on it. Ready for tonight?"

"One thing at a time, Emma. Let's just get through our math class this next hour."

"It's going to be okay."

"I know. Well, as okay as math ever is."

"I mean tonight. Remember, he doesn't bother me. If he says something stupid…"

"When…" JT corrected.

"Okay, WHEN he says something stupid, we're not going to put up with it."

"When you say it, it sounds like everything really will be okay."

"It will be," she assured. "Just remember, we're a team. Everything will be fine."

"You're right, Emma. After all, what's that saying? Divided we stand, united we fall?"

Emma laughed.

"JT, you are such a dork sometimes."

"Only sometimes? I must be slipping."

"So, you talked to your dad on the phone yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, he called last night not too long after I got back from your place."

"Did you tell him where to go?"

"I thought that was something YOU'VE been wanting to tell him," JT joked.

"I mean…"

"I know what you meant, Emma. Yes, I told him where Ryan's is. He'll be there at 8:00. That was a good idea you had, that we should eat there tonight."

"Well, I didn't really think you'd want to do anything too fancy. And Ryan's makes for a good comfort zone."

"True."

"Did the rest of the conversation go well."

"Short and sweet. Well, short anyway. Nothing too insulting or condescending."

"He was probably holding back," Emma suggested. "Keeping the snide in reserve until today."

"My dad also mentioned that he was sending some movers over to the house during the day today to take out the rest of his personal things."

"You mean he's not even going over there himself?"

"He said it wasn't necessary. There were just some odds and ends left in their bedroom that he needed. Other than that, there was nothing left in the house that he wanted to take."

"So all the living room and kitchen stuff stays put?"

"Yeah. And me too, of course. But since he never wanted me to begin with, that's no surprise."

"Hey, look at it this way," Emma responded, determined to keep JT's mood upbeat, remembering that he'd done the same for her on many past occasions when she felt down. "You wouldn't have fit too well in a packing crate."

JT laughed, which pleased Emma.

"It's going to be a great day," Emma told him.

"You're right."

"As long as you're ready for that big math test in a few minutes."

"Test? We have a test? How did I forget? I'm not ready."

"Gotcha," Emma replied, smiling. "I just wanted to keep you on your toes."

"Remind me to get you back later," JT told her.

"You need me to remind you? Maybe you ARE slipping."

JT grumbled, but then smiled and grabbed her hand and they hurried on to their math class.

Meanwhile, outside in front of the building, Nathaniel Yorke stood near the street talking on his cell phone.

"Good work on the school background information. Your findings were right about Raditch. Weak as water. I didn't even have to remember the name of the superintendent. He actually bought my lie about knowing the guy, so he offered up information without hesitation so I wouldn't try to get him fired. Apparently even maintaining a backbone is too much work for Degrassi's principal. It's no surprise there were people on staff willing to talk about what goes on here.

"Yes, I found out what I needed concerning the Nelson girl. She seems to have a history of trouble around here thanks to her overbearing and opinionated personality. I'm still disappointed you came up with so little in your background check on her. Not even a parking ticket. But you did find out that one interesting bit of trivia, so between that and her reputation here, I think I'll have enough to convince her that it's best that she step aside. And if not, I have contingency plans. I'll have this entire situation dealt with before dessert. Then I can leave this neighborhood behind for good. Yes, it's going to be a great day. Oh, looks like my cab is here so I'll let you go. Time for me to get some real work done today. Besides, I think the longer I'm at this school the more my IQ drops."


	24. Family Values

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note: **Special thanks to** Alexis: Digital Survivor**, **The Vampire Illiana**, **luvdegrassi12345**, **Fearless Dreamer**, **PsYcHoJo **& **cutiepye06655** for the great feedback.

Chapter 24 -- Family Values

Emma entered Ryan's Grille on Monday evening. After looking around, she walked over to the counter and ordered a glass of ice water from Mrs. Ryan.

"Not going on one of those all-liquid diets are you, Em?"

Emma turned in the direction of the voice and saw Sean sitting alone at a nearby table finishing up his meal. Taking her drink in hand, she walked over to him.

"Hi Sean. No, just waiting. Looks like I'm the first to arrive."

"Oh, that's right. You, JT and his dad – that's tonight. JT still thinking that everyone will get along just by eating together?"

"That was his original idea, but I think he gave that up almost immediately. I wouldn't be surprised if a part of him is now happy that his father wants to have such a limited role in his life. Or I should say, an even MORE limited role. JT won't admit it but I know he's stressed about this. I can see it in his eyes."

"I'm almost done with this," Sean said, pointing to his plate, "but I can always order some dessert and stick around. Keep an eye on the situation in case it gets out of hand."

"Out of hand? What is this, the Old West? Are you expecting a barroom brawl?" Emma asked, laughing.

"When you and JT are on a mission, it's anyone's guess what'll happen," Sean joked. "No, I just don't want anyone disrespecting my friends, even when it's a so-called parent."

"That's nice of you, but I'm sure JT and I are more than capable of handling any situation. Besides, at best JT only tolerates you and even though you'd like to be friends, this isn't the time. I think you'd only add to the tension."

"Makes sense I guess," Sean responded.

Finished with his meal, Sean stood up and the two walked over to the counter. Sean paid for his meal and Emma told Mrs. Ryan that she's need a table for three. At this time, Nathaniel Yorke walked through the door. Emma noticed.

"He's here," Emma announced to Sean.

"Good luck," Sean said.

"Thanks, Sean. Good night."

Sean made his way toward the door, but stopped next to Mr. Yorke.

"I know who you are," Sean said to him.

Yorke looked the young man over.

"Thankfully, I can't say the same of you," Yorke replied coldly.

"I'm friends with JT."

"Splendid. Further proof that my son has poor judgment and even poorer taste."

"Just don't do anything to hurt him or Emma."

"Be assured that I don't make it a practice to hurt anyone. Also be assured that your attempts to sound menacing only make me laugh with abandon on the inside. Now, while I doubt it's possible in this neighborhood, go away and try to find something better to do."

Yorke walked away before Sean could respond.

'Oh yeah, THAT'S gonna be a fun meal,' Sean thought as he walked out the door.

Emma waved Yorke over to her at the counter.

"Hi Mr. Yorke," Emma greeted in a friendly voice.

"Emma."

"How have you been?"

"Quite well."

"I'm doing well, too," Emma said, noticing that Yorke wasn't going to say anything else.

"I didn't ask," Yorke replied. "But thanks for sharing."

A waiter then took them to a corner booth. Emma asked for a refill on her water while Yorke ordered a Scotch. Emma told the waiter it would be a few minutes before they were ready to order their meal.

"Where is James?" Yorke asked after the waiter left. "It's 8 o'clock."

"I'm sure he'll be here in a few minutes. He's probably leaving work right about now. JT does so much over there that he's not always able to leave right when he's scheduled to. You should hear all the good things his boss has to say about him."

"This little get-together was his idea. You'd think he'd show a little more consideration. I have a flight scheduled for later on tonight."

Emma was about ready to reply – loudly – but the waiter returned with their drinks. She then decided, for JT's sake, to try to remain civil.

"So, Mr. Yorke, how is life in Winnipeg?"

"Pleasant. Fulfilling. In short, everything life hasn't been here in a long time."

"I read about that VCC Chemical acquisition. I take it this went through with no problems?"

"Yes. Disappointed?"

"I am. Do you realize what damage having another chemical plant could do?"

"Yes, Emma. Greater employment. A boost to the economy. It's all so tragic."

"I'm concerned with our environment and how this plant would harm it."

"As with all of VCC's plants, I'm certain that once this new facility is in operation it will be up to code in all respects."

"Officially maybe, but we both know that some businesses have a way of working around codes and inspections."

"From what I recall, you'd rather have acres and acres of trees filling the city."

"As opposed to a factory which could potentially create chemical spills and air pollution? You bet."

"Tell that to the hundreds of local men and women who will have less difficulty feeding and housing their families now that they'll have steady work at the new site."

"You have a point, but they could always find work with other companies."

"Emma, I think you'd better stick to matters that are more your speed. Perhaps setting up a lemonade stand or selling cookies door to door. Leave important matters to those who know what they're talking about."

"I know the idea is for me to now feel insulted by that comment. Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Yorke, but it's not going to happen."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"It's simple. In order for me to feel insulted, I'd have to actually care what the person doing the insulting thinks about me. And I might be the first person to ever say this to you, but I don't care what you think about me. Not in the least."

"I'll grant you that. Your feelings about me won't exactly keep me awake tonight either, so we're even on that score. You see, I've never liked you. Not after your little Career Day inquisition. Or rather I should say that I've never liked you when I've thought of you at all, which is seldom. Still, I'd like to believe that my son isn't a complete fool and that it's true that you do care about HIS feelings."

"Of course I care. More than you could ever understand."

"Good, then this shouldn't be too difficult. Emma, you need to disappear."

"Excuse me?"

"Not completely; just from James' life."

"And why would I do that?"

"I don't believe in sugarcoating things, so I'll simply say it. I've done some checking, and based on what I've learned and what I already knew, your presence in my son's life will do more harm than good."

"I see," Emma said, unfazed. "And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"You come from a modest background. Your mother has a small business – a salon, I believe – and the man she's married to is a teacher. Admirable, but they're not exactly setting the world on fire. Whatever you decide to do with your life, I'm betting it will somehow involve a great deal of complaining, protesting and environmental catch phrases. That's enough to keep you off the streets, but how far will it really get you? Then there's my son. Okay, I cringe at the idea that he's an ASSISTANT manager, but nevertheless he has a chance to make something of himself. Who knew? I certainly didn't expect much from him, but now it might actually be possible. He's still got that gullibility problem, though."

"Gullible? JT? I don't think so."

"Of course you do, because you're working that gullibility. He has money. Even more since his mother died. If he can ever elevate himself to a manager's job someday or even start his own business, he'll earn still more. I've certainly got money as well. So now that James is nearly 18, here comes the old friend with the less-than-outstanding financial background looking for a payday and finding it in my family. Already planning your wedding, Emma? Figuring out how best to divide the family's money among all your little Earth-friendly causes?"

"So you think I'm all wrong for JT because I want what's in his bank account?"

"Oh, there's more reasons you're the wrong person. That was merely the first."

"That's good. I was feeling kind of bad that you might think there's only one thing wrong with me."

"But even if there was only one reason, that would be one too many. My son recently told me that he couldn't imagine his life without you."

"He did?" Emma asked, smiling.

"So you can see why I'm concerned that he's making a bad decision. Which is why I'm trying to make things right before I leave town."

"Well amuse me, Mr. Yorke. What is another one of my faults?"

"The most interesting thing I've found out about you – something I'll bet you're hoping James never discovers – is that you have insanity in your family."

"Insanity? What are you talking about? No, a better question is what are you doing looking into my family background?"

"I have every right to do a background check on someone who poses a threat, and I've already explained the financial threat you pose. But you also pose a threat to my family's credibility."

"Ignoring for the moment what an incredible violation of privacy you've committed, what is this nonsense about insanity in my family?"

"Don't deny it, Emma. My sources discovered that your father lives in a mental institution in Stouffville and has for many years."

Emma was surprised to hear that Yorke found out information regarding her biological father, but she tried not to noticeably react.

"Mr. Yorke, not that it is even remotely your business, but Shane McKay is in that facility as the result of an accident many years ago. His condition is not genetic. If I were ever to become insane, it wouldn't be because of him, but probably because I've been sitting here having a conversation with you. You're enough to drive anyone crazy, or at least to the point of developing one or two addictions."

"Genetic or not, Mr. McKay must have had some prior mental problem to get involved in the circumstances that led to his accident. As I recall, my report said there were drugs involved. Familial stupidity of this magnitude is not something I want my family to put up with."

"And yet JT already does so by putting up with you," Emma snapped back.

"Make all the childish remarks you want, but do you really want my son to find out that his girlfriend's father is locked away for having brain matter on par with a plate of scrambled eggs?"

Emma was determined to remain calm.

"Okay, so to you I'm a golddigger with insanity in my family. Anything else?"

"I know you have a history of delinquency at your school."

"That's news to me."

"Don't play dumb, Emma. I know about the suspensions."

"Oh, those," Emma said, rolling her eyes.

"You're awfully casual about it."

"That happened years ago while fighting for something I believed in," Emma explained.

"The reasons don't matter. What matters is your willingness to cause trouble and disrupt order to get your way. Under different circumstances, I might be able to respect that, but not when your ways could cause problems for my son."

"It's interesting that whenever you refer to JT as your son, your tone makes it sound like you're discussing a piece of property you own."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. To you, JT is like some plot of land that you have no use for and don't really want, so you neglect it for long periods. But if anyone else shows serious interest you suddenly become territorial and claim you know what's best for the land."

"That's outrageous."

"No, Mr. Yorke, YOU'RE the one who's outrageous. If you think your opinion and all this information will matter to JT and make him want to break up with me, it's all the more apparent that you don't know anything about your son."

"I think he'll understand who has his best interests at heart."

"Wouldn't you have to have a heart before you could do that? Unlike you, I do know your son."

"What does someone such as yourself know about anything?" Yorke challenged.

"If I listed what I know about your son, we'd be here so long that you'd miss your flight. But here are a few things I can think of without even trying. I know that JT's always ready with something funny to say. I know that he's very protective of the people he cares about. I know he's a bad speller but is still good with words, even if he doesn't think he is. I know that he can run a business, because even working part-time – yes, as an assistant manager – he keeps that theater running smoothly despite a shoestring budget to work with. And I know that if you weren't such a blind jerk, you'd see that even though you never wanted a kid, you couldn't have asked for a better son.

"But then what do YOU know about JT, Mr. Yorke? Did you know that he's developed an almost encyclopedic knowledge of old comedies? He could probably teach a course or write a book on the subject. Not that you'd ever be around to encourage him to try.

"Did you know that there was a girl – and if you think I'm bad news, you wouldn't know what to make of Manny Santos – who broke up with JT on three separate occasions? Yet he's still friends with her as well as with the guy she left him for on two of those occasions. The way JT puts up with you, it shouldn't be surprising that he's willing to be friends even with people who've hurt him in the past.

"Did you know that at first JT blamed himself for the fact that you couldn't be bothered to stay in town for five minutes after your wife's burial last Spring? Did you know that when he stayed over at our house for a few nights after his mother's death, he woke up on the couch in a cold sweat more than once screaming, having dreamed his own version of what her death in the bank looked like? No, you wouldn't know any of this because you weren't around and couldn't care less. But I know. I was there looking out for him.

"I helped get him through tough times the same way he's helped me lots of times. I'm sure you don't know that JT's the kind of person who stays up late on the phone listening when I have panic attacks about upcoming school presentations. Or how, back when I found my loser deejay then-boyfriend going into a motel with some girl, JT hung out with me all night telling me every funny joke and story he could think of so I'd remember I'm special and so I wouldn't feel like crap. No, you don't know anything about JT Yorke. He's just your unwanted property.

"Now to address your concerns: Am I interested in his money? No. I never have been. With the exception of a romantic dinner a few weeks ago which I know must have cost quite a bit but which he did out of love, we've never needed much money – and often not any – to have a good time together. If he didn't have two coins to his name, he'd still be JT.

"Those suspensions? Newsflash – he knows. At the time, he dubbed me 'the good girl gone bad' in class, but what others didn't know was that he came by the house each afternoon that week I was out to bring me the homework so I wouldn't fall behind. He joked that it was the least he could do for a friend who could make Mr. Raditch's life miserable from all the negative publicity I stirred up. Leave it to JT to take pride in my suspension for reasons other than my idealism. But I think even then, deep down, he was impressed by that as well.

"The whereabouts and circumstances regarding my biological father? Even bigger newsflash – he eventually learned all about that, too! Since you're so concerned about losing money because of me, I hope you didn't pay too much to get all this information because it's thoroughly useless. There's nothing about me that you could tell JT that he wouldn't already know. Your fact-finding mission is so pathetic I could almost laugh if it wasn't also so sad.

"I think the one thing you and I have in common is that I don't believe in sugarcoating things either. So know this: I don't like you, either. As far as I'm concerned, you can go ahead and tell JT you learned all of these things about me in an effort to make me look bad and to hurt this relationship. That will only make him resent you more than you might expect. Or you could forget all this nonsense and try to enjoy a meal with your son and me, and then you can leave with the possibility that he doesn't think you're the absolute scum that I know you are. But whatever you decide, I will NOT let you mess with his head anymore than you already have."

Nathaniel Yorke simply stared at Emma, saying nothing.

"Mr. Yorke?"

"Oh!" Yorke said suddenly before taking a sip from his glass. "I'm sorry, were you saying something? It looked like you were speaking with great passion and trying to be slightly intimidating, but I got bored and tuned you out. Honestly, I think I started to lose interest around the time you said 'Hi Mr. Yorke'. Whatever it was you were talking about, you DO seem to like making speeches."

"I think you heard every word," Emma said.

"Yes, well whatever gets you through the day…and keeps you quiet. Oh, did I mention that even if my son is foolish enough to ignore my findings, I have one more enticement which I know for a fact he won't be able to turn down?"

"Enticement? Fancy word for bribe, isn't it?"

"Take your pick. It's just a little reminder to him about family loyalty."

"Isn't family loyalty an unknown concept for you, Mr. Yorke?"

"Oh, I admit, my loyalty pales in comparison with yours. You seem awfully loyal to your vegetating father, your easy mother and my troubled son."

Emma, fed up, suddenly grabbed hold of her glass and tossed its contents at Yorke's face.

"Maybe that will cool you off," Emma stated as water dripped from the man's scowling face.

"Wow! I didn't know Ryan's had started a Happy Hour."

Hearing a new voice, Emma turned around and Yorke looked up and they saw JT standing a few feet away from their table.

"And to think I was afraid I'd get here too late and miss out on all the fun."


	25. No Time Left For You

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** For a change, a few responses to those who left all the great feedback:

**Alexis: Digital Survivor** – I agree: episodes without a JT appearance are disappointing even when the episode is otherwise good.  
**Degrassidreamer** – Glad you liked Emma's rant; it was especially fun to write.  
**The Vampire Illiana** – Don't worry, I like your lengthy reviews. They're always interesting (and you don't sound like a parrot to me).  
**PsYcHoJo** – I'm glad you like my take on Emma as well as JT's dad.  
**Fearless Dreamer** – I think you and The Vampire Illiana are correct; Yorke would be the type to sue if he'd been hit.  
**cutiepye06655** – Glad you're still enjoying it!

**Chapter 25 -- No Time Left For You**

"Hi JT," Emma responded after her boyfriend's sudden appearance at the table. She felt both happy to see him and sorry that his arrival meant that he would now have to deal with his overbearing and insulting father.

"Hey Emma," JT said. He looked at her momentarily and then reached down to briefly kiss her. After the kiss he turned toward his father, who was now standing. "Hello Dad. It's been awhile."

JT started to move toward his father with his arms out about to hug the man, but Nathaniel Yorke prevented that by putting his hand out to shake his son's right hand instead.

"James. Good to see you. Yes, it has been a few months. Of course, you delayed this little reunion even more by arriving late."

"You know how work is," JT said, uneasily laughing off his father's comment as he sat down beside Emma in the booth.

"And you know how important – and limited – my time is."

"I remember you coming home late for dinner lots of times…when you made it home for dinner at all."

"Pardon me," Yorke replied, his tone slowly becoming more sarcastic. "You're right. I was often late due to working on the legal issues pertaining to multi-million dollar corporations. You were no doubt late due to the pressing business of scraping gum off the bottom of a movie theater chair. Why, we're practically equals."

"It's nice to know that you think an assistant manager spends his time removing the gum that's stuck to chairs. Actually I thought about taking on that particular responsibility, but when it comes to gum, I just can't stick to it."

"Still with the constant joking around, I see."

"I tried to be serious once. I believe it was a Thursday afternoon nine years ago. But it just wasn't for me."

JT then turned toward Emma.

"Sorry I was a little late."

"To HER you apologize," Yorke stated. "Typical."

"No problem," Emma said to JT. "It's given your father and me a chance to really get to know one another. I think we now have a good understanding of each other. Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Yorke?"

Yorke was about to respond when the waiter arrived with menus.

"So Dad, what have the two of you been talking about?" JT asked after the waiter left and as the three of them browsed their menus.

"Oh, I've merely been confirming some fascinating information with Emma."

"Well, she's definitely the one to go to if you're not sure of something," JT said with pride.

"I found what she had to say most informative."

"What sort of information were you checking out? Something environmental-ish? If so, you made a good choice because Emma's probably got better information than anyone else around here."

"It was nothing," Emma said, trying to steer JT away from asking about the earlier conversation. "What are you going to order, JT? You ought to get a basket of onion rings to go with your meal. I know how much you like them."

"True, but it's mostly fun to order them because you start those making beeping sounds like a heart monitor whenever I start to eat a ring, and then once I've finished off the basket you make that flatlining sound effect. Nothing like being reminded that with each bite of a fried food, I get closer to death. And it's even more fun if people are sitting nearby to see the confused looks on their faces."

"It's sad to see what passes for intelligent conversation among young people nowadays," Yorke commented, which made Emma wish she had another glass of water to throw.

"Don't worry," JT reassured his father. "I try never to have intelligent conversations. After all, intelligent conversations are a sign of the devil. No, wait. I'm thinking of karaoke. Never mind."

The waiter returned to take their orders.

"I'll have the garden salad, with mayonnaise on the side," Emma ordered.

"I'll have the same thing," JT followed, "only with Italian dressing instead. And a Coke. Oh, and a basket of onion rings for the two of us."

"JT, you're not really expecting me to eat any of those, are you?"

"Emma, when you're not making the sound effects, I see you out of the corner of my eye grabbing a few when you think I'm not looking. You're just too scared to order them yourself."

"I refuse to respond to that on the grounds that I might have to admit that you're right, which is never a pleasant experience."

Yorke handed his now empty glass to the waiter.

"No food for me. Just top off this drink."

"You're not eating?" JT asked.

"Nothing on the menu looked very appealing. Later, I'll have my cab stop somewhere nice on the way to the airport."

"So Dad, what all WERE you and Emma discussing before I got here? I'm guessing it was interesting."

"I don't care much for repeating myself. How much did you happen to overhear?"

"Don't worry about that."

"Well, as I promised the other week, I've simply been trying to get to know Emma better. Of course, to do so I felt it would be a good idea to do some studying beforehand."

"Studying?" JT asked, looking confused.

"Asking around," Emma explained. "Or rather snooping."

"I see."

"I found out some interesting facts. James, I tried to warn you against getting serious with anyone right now, particularly her, and it looks like I was right. Wait until I tell you. You probably won't believe it at first, but it's all verifiable."

"Oh. This sounds serious."

"I can see you're upset, son. Still, it's better you found out now than years from now after you married her and had kids."

"So, this asking around…you did the interviews yourself?"

"One of them."

"I see. And the others?"

"An investigator handled it."

There was a moment when nobody said a word.

"Sorry Emma," JT finally said. "At first I thought he had made up a bunch of lies to tell me. But it sounds like he went all out. I think he really does have some hard truths about you. Were the things he discovered and confronted you about true?"

"Yes, but…"

"This could change everything."

"JT…"

"No, Emma. Things can't keep going the way they have been, with all this secrecy."

Emma grew alarmed about JT's current attitude, which she didn't understand.

"Son," Yorke interjected, "I must admit, you're handling everything much better than I expected."

"Dad, for a long time I didn't think you really cared about me, and that now by leaving town for good it was even more proof of that. I figured you would lie or make something up to disrupt my relationship just because you felt she wasn't fit to be connected with your family, such as it is. But what you've done…to think that you would go to all this trouble just to help me out…I don't know what to say."

"James, just because I never wanted kids doesn't mean I'm not going to look out for the one I've got."

"You don't know what it means to hear you say that, Dad. Now, Emma, I think it's time that the whole truth came out into the open once and for all. Dad, you should know that I think I have an idea about what it is you've learned. And I want to confirm to you that it's all true."

"So, she was right? You know?" Yorke asked.

"I've known Emma all my life. How could I not know? It's all true, Dad. Emma WAS originally a guy."

"I'm so glad you're able to talk about…What?" Yorke was surprised and shocked to hear this.

"That's right, Dad. But I assume you already knew this."

"Son, maybe you'd better explain further."

"If you insist. Since birth, young Emerson Nelson was a girl trapped in a boy's body. So, many years ago, his family saved up enough money and he was able to have the operation and the hormone injections. And Emerson became Emma.

"Look at him, Dad," JT continued, pointing toward Emma. "Don't you think the doctors did a convincing job? Now I know it's difficult to believe, but I'm sure it's all in your investigation notes.

"But despite it all…maybe because of it all, I'm still in love with the big guy. I know you're worried, Dad. And it's true that society frowns on our love. But I can't help myself. After all, she didn't choose this life…it chose her. And I'm right there every year marching in those switched-gender parades next to her. I mean him. No, her.

"Isn't that right, fella?" JT then gave Emma a light punch in the arm.

Emma, relieved to see that JT was apparently trying to mess with his father's head and wasn't seriously reconsidering their relationship, was unable to restrain herself any longer and broke down laughing.

"Or was that NOT the deep dark secret you were going for?" JT asked, still maintaining a straight face.

"Again with the jokes during a serious discussion," Yorke responded, far from pleased. "It's no wonder we get along the way we do."

At that, Emma stopped laughing and was again starting to get mad.

"Now, if we can have a real discussion, I discovered several GENUINE details about Emma's life. First, there's the fact that…"

"Already know about it," JT interrupted.

"But…?"

"What else you got, Dad?"

"Okay. How about the week when…"

"Doesn't matter."

"Well," Yorke continued, getting flustered, "did you know that in her family background, there's…"

"Could be. Hard to say. Either way, it's no big thing. Next."

"James, you're not giving me a chance to even finish mentioning any of this, much less go into detail."

"Yeah. Funny that."

"Don't you care?"

"About Emma? Yes. Very much. And whatever little scraps of trivia you took the time to find out about, I already knew it. Or she hasn't gotten around to telling me yet because it's not that important. Or she hasn't told me because it's none of my business."

"But…"

"If you had tried to get to know Emma the right way like I asked you to, you'd have found out she's not one of those people who walks around with lots of sinister secrets. If there's anything about her that I don't know, I don't need to know it unless she wants me to."

"Is that it?" Yorke asked moments after JT finished speaking.

"What do you mean?"

"I assumed that you would probably keep talking on and on nonstop for another five minutes as she did earlier. Not that I'd mind too much. Her speech gave me time for a quick nap and I could always use another."

"Sorry. I'm no good with speeches. But I guess you're not surprised. You probably don't think I'm good at anything."

"You're quite capable when you want to be which, granted, isn't often. But if there's one thing I've never doubted, it's your love for your mother."

"That's true enough," JT replied, now uncertain where his father was going with the conversation.

"In fact you would do anything for her. Right?"

"Of course."

"I'd like to think we can both agree that Jillian Yorke was an important person, both to this family and to her segment of the business community."

"Yes, we can agree on that."

"When you and I spoke on the phone – not last night, but the other week – do you remember everything we discussed?"

"Oh you mean those minor details like how you felt forced into fatherhood and how it's better to sleep around rather than get involved with Emma, who you called certain names I won't repeat and who you said would reflect bad on you."

"Us. Not just me."

"Yes, I remember it all."

"Good. Then you also recall our talking about your mother's business."

"Of course. You said if it ever became too much trouble we should sell it."

"Correct, and I think it might very well become too much trouble now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's simple. You have your own life that is separate from mine. And you know I'm all for this. But now it looks as though you don't even want to consider my advice about ridding yourself of this – What's the word I'm thinking of to represent this girl? Oh, yes. – this albatross. So go ahead then and go your own way. Involve yourself with whomever you want. But there's no further need for us to pretend we can relate to one another. I won't let your poor choices reflect on me.

"Jillian's company connects us. Without it, you're just someone living in and looking after my old house until the end of next summer. We should sell the business and move on."

"You would sell your late wife's company – her legacy – just to have one less reason to make a return visit?" Emma was outraged.

"No, Miss Righteous Indignation. I would sell the company because it will net a sizable amount of money. For me AND James. Jillian kept that business running so well that all these months after her death it's still going strong. But after a full year passes – maybe 18 months – who's to say whether or not the existing managers will maintain this excellence or send the company on a downward spiral. The amount we can sell it for now is much better than we're likely to get even six months from now. Selling now is a smart move, not that I expect the assistant manager of a struggling theater or a poor wannabe environmentalist to understand what good business is all about."

"That's too bad, Dad, because Mother left each of us 50 percent of the company. You can't sell it without my approval."

"They don't even teach kids to read at that Degrassi school. If you had bothered to check, you would have noticed that according to Jillian's will, while we ARE co-owners and thus split all profits down the middle – and would split the money from a possible sale – until you turn 18, only I am authorized to make decisions concerning the business. That means if I wanted to expand or relocate or go in an entirely new direction, I don't need your approval. I also don't need your approval to sell. Until January, your 50 percent entitles you to the monetary rewards without any of the decision-making responsibilities. If you ask me, that's a sweet deal."

"Oh."

"If you don't believe me, I can give you another copy of the will and you can read it for yourself."

"No, I believe you. I'm sure Mother didn't want me to have to worry about all those business decisions, especially if she had died when I was much younger. But she wanted to make sure I wouldn't miss out on the benefits. And I'm sure she never thought she wouldn't be here now."

"Yes, she was always looking out for you. You were her priority, along with her work."

"And you resented it," Emma interjected. "That's what this is about. What it's always been about."

"Emma…" JT interrupted.

"But I would be willing to hold onto this company, as a favor to you and as a show of family loyalty. That is, if I thought you were willing to also show loyalty and act in a manner befitting this family."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, James, that if you could show that your head is on straight and you won't disgrace your family through a continued association with…"

Yorke looked toward Emma.

"Then you wouldn't sell my mother's company to outsiders."

"Good, we understand one another. What do you say? Can we come to an agreement?"

The waiter came and set down their food and drink refills. JT picked up his glass of Coke and looked at it. For a brief moment, Nathaniel Yorke thought his son might follow Emma's lead and toss it at him. But soon, JT took a gulp from the glass and then set it back down.

"Want to hear a riddle?" JT suddenly asked his father.

"Are we back to joking around? Honestly…" Yorke was losing patience.

"I know, I know. Riddles aren't really my brand of humor either, but sometimes you come across one that you just have to try out."

"Fine, if it will help you hurry up and finalize things, go ahead. Ask away."

"What did the clown say to the horse's ass?"

"I have no idea."

"He said, 'Have a good life.'"

"I don't get it."

"I know, Dad. You never have, and I don't think you ever will."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you should go ahead and sell the company my mother built, and then mail me a check. As we talked about, I'll keep on living at the house until sometime in August next year. Once the sale of the company goes through, your work here is done, which I'm sure will please you. There's no reason we should ever have to be in contact again. You don't have to claim an unwanted embarrassment of a son and I don't have to claim as a father some guy who would try to bribe me with my own dead mother's legacy."

Yorke looked across the table at Emma with an angry expression.

"Don't you dare look at Emma. Did you think that because I came here in time to see her toss water at you that I might suddenly take your side when you try to badmouth her again? She doesn't do anything without a good reason.

"But don't look at her with your anger. I refuse to give her up but this is MY choice, not one she's forcing me to make. You should also know that one moment with her is worth more to me than anything you've ever offered me in nearly 18 years.

"Anyway, this isn't just about Emma. You can't have it both ways, pretending you don't want a family one moment and then trying to control it the next. You don't even want to control it because you care about family, you just don't want to worry about any embarrassment to you. I get it. Only, you're the embarrassment and I want you to stay away from me."

Yorke finished his drink then stood up.

"Fine. I took a shot. Either way, I knew I was done here. I even had a potential buyer lined up just in case you decided to make this decision. I'll call him tomorrow and we can finalize the sale in no time. Just remember, you've made the choice, not me. It's for the best that your mother is gone because she would be very ashamed of you if she knew you were so willing to let go of her business."

"The only thing my mother might have ever needed to feel bad about was thinking you were still the man she fell in love with. Whatever you meant to her, you're not that person now. Enjoy this new life of yours, all alone in Winnipeg."

"Alone? I've got friends and business associates. Not to mention a secretary who's as good working behind a desk as she is in my bed. I'll be fine. Enjoy life with your high-strung friend and your menial job. Oh, be a good son and pay for my drinks. Thanks. And Emma? It's been…interesting. Let's not do this again. Good night all."

"Dad!" JT called out as Yorke began to leave.

"Yes?" Yorke asked, briefly wondering if JT had a change of heart.

"In case you're still confused…I'm the clown. Have a good life."

Without another word, Yorke walked away from the table and out the restaurant door. Neither JT nor Emma said anything for several moments.

"And some people say Monday nights can't be interesting," JT said, breaking the silence.

"JT…"

"I don't even know what you two were talking about but when I saw you toss that drink at him, I was just hoping I wouldn't bust out laughing."

"I wasn't so lucky," Emma said, taking hold of one of JT's hands. "You started getting me all worried that you might take his investigation seriously. But then you came up with your own little secret about me that was so outrageous and unexpected that I couldn't contain myself."

"Sorry Emma."

"Don't be. I should have known I had nothing to worry about."

"No, I mean sorry for all of this. Can't believe I thought that if he could sit down and get to know you, he'd – I don't know – see that I was doing something right. Instead he didn't have anything good to say about either one of us. And I couldn't even get here on time, so you had to listen to all of it."

"Don't apologize. Your idea was a longshot, but since he's your father I know you wanted to take a chance. You like to play peacemaker. Like with me and Manny."

"That was probably a bad idea, too."

"Hey, I'm getting along with her, right? I was even afraid my insult skills were getting rusty. After tonight, I think the skills are still there. Just needed the right person to slam."

JT laughed.

"So you really lectured him for five minutes?"

"I wasn't timing it or anything, JT. He deserved more. I'd like to tell you what we talked about."

"You don't have to."

"I know, and you DID know all the things he came up with about me."

"Even if I didn't, it wouldn't have mattered."

"Besides, don't you want to hear all the good things I said about you?"

"The perfection that is JT Yorke? I'm always open to hearing about that."

"I wouldn't go THAT far, JT."

"Let's save it for later and just eat."

"Okay."

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

"She wouldn't…I mean, she isn't…"

"Your mother is very proud of you. I know it. You did what you had to do and you didn't let him push you around. Your dad was right about one thing – you made the choice and put an end to the situation. Agreeing to the sale and telling him to stay out of the picture…there's no way she would fault you."

"Thanks Emma."

JT reached for the salt.

"JT, if I'm going to eat any of those onion rings, don't you dare put salt on them."

"Nag, nag, nag," JT rolled his eyes. He then put the salt shaker down. "Satisfied?"

"Thanks Jamie."

"It's just salt."

"No, not that. I know you said the sale wasn't just because of me, which is good, but I know I'm a big part of the reason and…I don't know how to tell you what it means that…"

"Emma," JT interrupted, "I love you. Always. But don't start or you'll end up crying and your food will get all soggy."

"Okay. You're right. As long as you know what I meant."

"I do. Now let's eat already."

"Emerson?"

"Hey, I was making this stuff up as I went along. It sounded good."

"So how was work?"

"You wouldn't believe the strange guy who showed up."

"Think he'd sign this new petition I'm working on?"

**Next Chapter** – And then there was Sean…


	26. Joker & The Thief

**The Long And Winding Road **

**Notes:** Thanks to everyone for the recent reviews.

**Chapter 26 -- Joker & The Thief**

During her lunch hour on Tuesday, Emma sat alone outside the school building at one of the tables. She looked at the piece of paper in her hand. Frustrated, she balled it up and threw it toward a nearby trash can but missed.

"Littering, Ms. Nelson? I'm shocked. I sentence you to one hour of detention this afternoon. Meet me in the broom closet at 3:30."

Emma turned around to find JT standing behind her, smirking.

"You're so merciless, Mr. Yorke," Emma smiled.

"It's the whole Zero Tolerance policy for sexy environmentalists gone bad."

JT picked up the paper, opened it up and read it.

"This is that petition you were working on. The one you told me about last night."

"What are you doing over here anyway, JT? I thought you were eating lunch with Patrick today."

"Yeah, well we had a little difference of opinion, so I figured I'd come bother you for awhile. I know you mentioned needing to work on something over lunch, but I knew you'd be unable to turn me away, especially once my irresistible charm took over."

Emma laughed, just as JT hoped she would.

"I take it the work was the petition and that writing it isn't going as well as you planned."

"Definite understatement."

"What's the problem?" JT asked as he sat down on the opposite side of the bench, facing Emma.

"Hey, what was your disagreement about?"

"Way to dodge a question, Emma."

"Likewise. But I'll tell if you tell."

"Oh it's nothing major," JT explained. "That old 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?' debate. Patrick said chicken, but that's crazy. It's a trick question."

"How do you figure that?"

"Everyone knows eggs come from the ground. They have to be planted. You should know, since you eat eggplant, right?"

"Okay, so eggs come from eggplants," Emma summarized, rolling her eyes. "So where do the chickens come from?"

"Isn't that obvious? Chicken comes from those big buckets you can pick up at the drive-thru window. Open til 2:00 a.m. on weekends. It's been this way since the beginning of time, so it's really a tie as to which came first."

"And to think philosophers have spent years trying to find answers and you've known it the entire time."

"I'm full of answers, Emma."

"Well, you're full of something."

"Now it's your turn."

"Okay, JT, even though I don't believe a word of what you just said, I'll still tell you. I don't think I'm very good at this whole Petition and Protest thing anymore. Maybe I never was. How many people really take what I say, or what S.I.T.E. says, serious? Does it change anything? The ones who have all the power don't care. And the few citizens who want to complain never get a chance to be heard."

"I've never heard you talk like this before, Emma."

"Then there are people like me. When we get a chance to be heard, we get back questions we can't answer and end up sounding like idiots."

"Where's all this coming from?"

"Last night your dad…sorry…Nathaniel Yorke and I…"

"Emma…"

"I told you everything we talked about concerning you. But before that, we were talking about that chemical plant. I wasn't expecting a debate with him so I just made some general comments. Then he made some comments right back, for which I didn't have a decent response."

"Emma, you of all people know what he's like. He was obviously trying to rattle you because he knows what a concerned citizen you are and HIS only concern is the bottom line in business."

"Yeah, but that's just it. It wasn't like he was manipulating the argument. He brought up the issue of employment. Adding more jobs to the community. Keeping people fed and housed."

"Did he play a violin while he sang you this sob story?"

"JT, I never even thought of the people," Emma said, growing more emotional. "And the best response to him that I could come up with is that they could find work somewhere else. As if it was so simple."

"Emma, stay calm and remember to breathe. You're always thinking about other people. That is, when you're not thinking about trees. Or animals. Or the air. Or proper foods. Or…"

"Thanks a lot," Emma said sarcastically.

"Like I've told you before, you can kinda go overboard sometimes. But you're getting better at picking your battles. And don't ever tell me you don't think about people. Yeah, maybe the guy had a good argument last night. Even an old busted-up clock is right twice a day.

"But he's a lawyer. A worthless parent, but an excellent attorney. He knows how to argue. Yes, in some ways even better then you, Emma. But unlike him, you argue from your heart, and in debates about the environment or animals or people, that's worth a lot.

"People DO listen to you and your group. Maybe it doesn't change situations much, but you get more people thinking and talking. And you get to have your voice heard, which you've said lots of times is an important part of it. And since I know you like to hear the sound of your own voice…"

"Shut up!" Emma replied, now laughing.

"You'll find the right approach to whatever your next cause for petition is. Don't ever put yourself or your work down. And as for that guy, you told me not to let him get to me. Follow your own advice. It's usually pretty good."

"Only usually?" Emma joked.

"Don't press your luck," JT smiled.

"He mentioned I'd be better off selling cookies door to door."

"Okay, now that's not exactly a bad idea. Especially if you wear one of those little outfits. But instead of door to door, just put it on and meet me back in that broom closet at 3:30."

"JT, did I happen to mention I'm crazy about you?"

"Not in the last few minutes, but I had a hunch. Well, at least about the crazy part."

JT then playfully tossed the discarded petition back in her face.

"You know, Emma, you may not have been convincing with the chemical company argument, but you obviously made an impression when you argued with him about me. You're in no danger of losing your touch."

"Thanks. And again, you were pretty outstanding yourself in how you dealt with him. My knight in shining blue jeans. Anyway, I told Sean that you and I would have no trouble handling anything your dad tried to pull."

"Sean? He was there last night?"

"He was finishing up his dinner when I arrived. He offered to stick around and provide you some moral support in case things got ugly, but I told him not to worry about it."

"I see."

"Knowing Sean he probably would have just spit on the man, although now that doesn't sound like such a bad thing," Emma joked. "They did pass each other when Sean was on his way out. Looked like they exchanged a few words, but I was at the counter and didn't hear it. Looked like Sean annoyed him, so it must have been interesting."

"No doubt. So, going to rewrite the petition?"

"Might as well give it a shot. Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, I finished a sandwich before Patrick and I agreed to disagree and I decided to come over here. What about you?"

"Yeah, I ate while I was reading over this first draft."

"Good. I think I'll leave you to your writing."

"You don't have to go."

"Thanks," JT said as he stood up, "but you need to concentrate and I wouldn't want the wonder of my presence to distract you."

"You wish."

"I'm going to take a walk. I'll see you next class."

"Sounds good. Oh and thanks for the pep talk. You said all the right things."

"Hey, it's like I said, even a busted clock…" JT then winked at her. He started to walk away but then turned back around.

"Emma."

Emma turned her head back to see him. JT briefly placed his hand over his heart then pointed toward her.

"Always," he added. "Now get back to your writing."

Emma smiled, then JT turned back around and started walking toward the building.

"Hi JT," Courtney spoke as JT passed her upon entering the school. "How's it going?"

"Hello," JT said with no emotion while continuing to walk down the hallway.

"Um, do you know where I could find Emma?"

"Bench," he replied as he disappeared around the corner.

"Oookay." Courtney then headed toward the door to go outside.

JT reached the outside of Simpson's classroom. He looked through the window and saw, as he expected, Sean working at a computer terminal. Sean was the only one in the room. JT walked toward the door and then stood in the open doorway. Sean soon noticed JT's presence out of the corner of his eye and looked over at him.

"Hey JT. How's it going?"

JT said nothing, neither smiling nor frowning.

"Can you believe that English class this morning?" Sean asked. "I can't believe we have to read ANOTHER Shakespeare play. You'd think we'd gone through all of them by now. I'm starting to think maybe Spinner was right all along when he said that Kwan is the Dark Lord of All Shakespeare Groupies."

"Is Mr. Simpson around?" JT finally spoke.

"He had some errands to run during lunch. Said he'd be back before the next class starts."

Upon hearing this, JT entered the classroom and shut the door behind him. He didn't slam it, but it was loud enough to startle Sean. JT then sat down at the terminal next to Sean's and looked at Sean without saying anything.

"Don't worry," Sean tried to joke. "It's okay for me to be alone in here nowadays. Besides, I'm sure Mr. Simpson now has all the valuables locked away or bolted down."

JT still said nothing and kept staring at Sean, who was becoming uncomfortable with JT's uncharacteristic silence.

"You must be tired. Usually by now you've gotten in two or three humorous remarks during these conversations of ours."

"Amends," JT uttered after several more silent moments.

"What?" Sean asked.

"You've been going around for, I guess, the last year – maybe a little longer – trying, in your words, to make amends."

"That's right."

"And that's involved paying for the things you stole."

"Yeah, and the things I helped the others steal."

"And for those you didn't steal from but treated rotten, you've apologized to those people."

"Yeah."

"And they've accepted?"

"Some. Mostly just the ones I was friends with before I got mixed up with that group. Some of the others weren't interested in what I had to say, but anyway it was my friends I've most wanted to make things right with."

"And by paying everyone back – or making these apologies and having them accepted – you've done right by them and get another chance."

"That's the goal."

"How does that work, Sean? Is it like a magic wand? You wave it around, say a few nice words or toss some money at someone and POOF all that stuff never happened?"

"No, I don't think that. The past is always going to be part of me. But maybe some good can come out of it and then we can all move on."

"Emma told me the other day how I'm one of the ones you still hope to make things right with. She even said you thought we'd been friends for awhile back before the gang stuff."

"That's true."

"But you didn't steal from me."

"No, but I said a lot of rotten stuff. Mean stuff, not the friendly insults and slams like between you and Spinner. I was Mr. Tough Guy, walking the halls with the gang and acting a fool to everybody. Trust me, I'm sorry about all that."

"Fine, Sean. If it will help you, I accept your apology. Your words didn't bother me, though…except for the fact that they weren't clever. If you're going to put me down, at least be creative about it. Maybe add some humor. Your crime against me was that you bored me with your tough talk."

Sean laughed.

"I was never scared of you, Sean, just so you know. You guys wandering the halls trying to look tough…Last year's production of 'West Side Story' had tougher looking gang members, and they were just students singing and dancing around a stage. You were more intimidating BEFORE you met Jay.

"Don't get me wrong. You guys were entertaining to watch for about five minutes before it got old. But then it started getting serious.

"Of all the people you went after, you just had to include her. You stomp on her heart then you steal from her father, who was practically near death. If I was a different type of person – or at least someone who weighed a couple hundred more pounds – I'd love to have bounced you off of every wall in this school.

"It's what you did to her. To her family. That's what gets to me about you. Not anything you've said against me. She forgave you. Even her dad let it go after you paid him back. So I can forgive and put it aside. But I want you to look at me and tell me that you get it. That being a thief and a jerk wasn't some little screw-up that didn't mean anything. That whatever reasons you had for the things you did – to them and all the other people – those were just excuses to do really stupid things. I want to know that everything that happened, even if it's forgiven, still affects you."

"I do get it," Sean said, looking JT straight in the eye. "I know that apologies and making up for things doesn't undo the past or make it just disappear. The only thing to do is remember it. Use it. And do a better job with the present."

For a moment, neither said anything.

"Then to me," JT finally spoke, "it's in the past."

"You sure?"

"We're good. NOT that we're friends now or anything crazy like that."

"Got it."

"This making amends thing, I hope it doesn't mean we now have to hug or anything."

"Don't worry," Sean laughed.

"So what did he say to you?" JT suddenly asked, getting serious once more.

"Who?"

"Emma said she saw you two exchange words last night, but she didn't know what was said."

"Oh. Him. Nothing major. He made a few cracks and also I told him not to cause trouble for the two of you."

"Sorry about that. He had no business saying anything to you."

"Don't worry about it."

"I mean, he should at least wait and get to know you like I do before he starts in with the insults. Kidding."

"Emma was right when she said you and your father are opposites. I was only around him for a minute and that much was obvious."

"Sean, your folks…do you ever have any contact with them?"

"Not for years. They sometimes give messages to my brother to give to me. But I decided a long time ago that they were out of my life and I wanted to keep it that way."

"Last night…that was it for me and him. He'd always been…distant, but the last few weeks…it was time for a change. Last night, I told him to stay out of my way. For good."

"That's good."

"I mean, it's not like he wanted to be a part of things anyway, but…"

"But it was your call. You made the decision so the only thing he could do was accept it."

"Yeah. You know what Pat said a little while ago when I was telling him? He said I sounded extreme. That I should have given it more time and not made any permanent decisions. More time. Can you believe it? He wasn't mean about it but it was like he was getting a little judgmental about what I did. I thought he was smarter than that."

"He doesn't get it."

"Yeah."

"There are things we don't have to put up with, JT. People we don't have to put up with. We do what we have to do. Do you hate him?"

"Patrick? No. He and I just shouldn't talk about that particular subject anymore since we won't agree."

"No, I mean your dad."

"I wish I could hate him. I'd love to. But that guy's just not worth the effort. He's also not someone I'm going to say is my father ever again."

"Good. Trust me, you wouldn't want to hate him. You don't want to carry all that around, letting it build up and take over who you are…who you want to be."

"Like you did?"

"Yeah."

"Do you still? Hate your folks, I mean."

"Not like before. The new Sean, remember? Trying not to create reasons to get mad."

"Good."

"Still can't stand them, though. Hey, was Emma okay? I mean, after dealing with your…with that man."

"Unfortunately I missed most of their talk, but apparently she argued, lectured and annoyed Nathaniel Yorke big time. I got there in time to see her throw water at him."

"Sorry I missed that!" Sean laughed.

"By the way, your offer to stick around just in case…thanks for that."

"No problem. Just don't think it was some evil plot to get Emma back. I wasn't trying to interfere."

"I know. You were a thief – not to mention a ridiculous gangster – but I don't think you're the type to do the clichéd 'impress the ex to steal her away' scheme."

"There was a compliment in there somewhere, right?" Sean joked.

"Besides, with regards to Emma, I'm not jealous, Sean. Never have been when it comes to you. No offense. I know she's at least as over you as I am of Manny, which is completely. And you seem to be all about moving forward, not backward, so I don't think you're looking for a reunion either."

"True."

"Anyway, if you ever tried anything, I might find someone who IS several hundred pounds heavier than me to handle the situation."

"JT, why am I not sure whether you're joking or not?"

"It's part of my charm. Anyway, don't think all this 'Give peace a chance' stuff lets you off the hook. I don't stop making sarcastic comments toward people just because I'm getting along with them. In fact, the comment total usually increases. Again, not that we're friends now or anything."

"Riiight. Nothing like that."

"By the way, thanks for getting it. The parental situation. I thought you might."

"No problem. If you ever want to talk…"

"I know. Same goes for you. Now before this turns into some twisted take on a mutual admiration society I'm getting out of here."

"See you later, JT."

"Yeah. Oh, just one other thing."

"What's that?"

"For all your faults and for all the stuff in the past, at least you've always had one thing in your favor."

"Now you got me curious."

"When you were with Emma, it was just her. You never cheated on her. At least not that I could tell. You may have hurt her in a lot of ways, but at least in this area you didn't disrespect her. That shows there was some good in you, even if you were trying to fight being a good person. Unlike that clown she went out with after you."

"Thanks for that," Sean responded.

"Anyway…I'll let you get back to your homework, or downloading auto shop porn, or whatever it is you do on the computer during lunch."

JT opened the door and walked out into the hall to find Emma tiptoeing away from the door and down the hall.

"Hard to write a good petition when you're busy doing surveillance work," JT called out, causing Emma to stop.

"Hey JT," Emma said, turning around. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Anything you'd like to say, Emma?" JT smiled.

"Nice weather we're having?"

"Yes, it's always nice weather here in the hallway."

"Okay, I confess, I wanted to see what you were up to. Courtney said you were acting strange. Sounded like business as usual, but then she mentioned you barely said two words in passing, which IS strange for you. I figured it might have something to do with me mentioning that thing about Sean so…"

"So…you wanted to see if we'd start fighting over you."

"Yeah, and talk about disappointing," Emma joked but tried to sound serious. "No blood. No punches thrown. You two were acting downright civilized from what I could overhear. Where's the fun in that?"

"Cheer up, Emma. We'll do better next time."

"You made peace, didn't you?" Emma said, not so much asking as confirming.

"You know my rule – Only loathe one person at a time. With Nathaniel Yorke now taking top honors, I had to kick Sean out of the way."

Emma laughed.

"After you mentioned him before, I figured maybe he could relate to some of the stuff that's been going on. But before that could happen we had to tie up some loose ends."

"So you two are friends now?"

"Yes, Emma, we're bestest best friends. He's coming over tonight for a sleep-over and we're going to do each other's hair and trade make-up tips."

"It was a good thing that you did, JT. Not just for Sean but for yourself."

"Nah, it was just a way to kill a few minutes before my next class."

Emma hugged JT.

"Now," JT began after the hug ended, "about this eavesdropping business…"

"JT, you've known me forever. Don't act surprised when I get…concerned."

"Nosy."

"Helpfully curious," Emma corrected.

"Busybodyish."

"Hope you're not expecting that to change, JT."

"I'm not THAT crazy, Emma."


	27. You Better Shop Around

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks to **YellyBelly** (Welcome back!), **ShimmeringEvil**, **Fearless Dreamer**, **PsYcHoJo** & **cutiepye06655** for the reviews/comments. Since I made the "JT/Sean confrontation" scenario different than what might have been expected, I'm glad to know it was well received.

Also, to Fearless Dreamer – Don't worry. Constructive criticism is a good thing to receive. But the quotation method you said was wrong (if I understood your point correctly) is actually an acceptable approach. Teachers I've had (and style guides I've had to read) have always said that if the quote for one person lasts more than one paragraph, use quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph but at the end of only the last paragraph. No big thing, though. It's just the quoting method I'm used to. Perhaps there are different methods and you've learned it one way and I learned another. Still, I thank you for your comments and for continuing to read the story.

**Story Note:** You'll notice that a little time has passed since the last chapter – going from the latter part of November to less than two weeks before Christmas. (If I hadn't moved on, I'd end up writing holiday-time stories in January, which doesn't sound like quite as much fun.) If anything big happened for JT and/or Emma in those interim weeks, you can be sure it'll get referenced or recalled somewhere in the story.

**Chapter 27 -- You Better Shop Around**

Emma and Manny slowly made their way through the crowded mall during the middle of the next to last Saturday before Christmas.

"I can't believe you did that, Emma. I should, but I can't."

"You're making too much out of it, Manny."

"I'm surprised security didn't come and throw us out."

"We're still here, aren't we?"

"You don't think you were a little extreme?"

"Extreme?"

"Sorry, I forgot who I was asking," Manny joked.

"One of the worst things about going through that department store back there is that before we can get out the back way and into the main mall area, we have to pass the cosmetics area. And what do we see in that area?"

"I was there, Emma."

"We see HER. Sure, it's always someone different, and every department store seems to have one, but it might as well be the same person. She's the woman who blocks everyone's path and asks if you want to sample the store's latest perfume. Then, before you can even say 'No' she's already spraying some of it in your direction."

"I know, Emma, but…"

"There are so many things wrong with people doing that. First, how do I know what's being sprayed on me? Is it really safe? Was it tested on poor defenseless animals in a dark laboratory somewhere where nobody could hear the creatures crying out in pain? Then, there's the fact that some people might be allergic and this crazed perfume sprayer could be causing someone major medical problems."

"Uh, you're not allergic to stuff like that."

"Yeah, lucky for me. But there are others who aren't so fortunate. And besides all of those reasons, it's just plain rude the way they get in your face like that. People like her just need to back off."

"Still, I don't think you should have snatched the perfume out of the woman's hand and sprayed it in her face."

"It's not like I pointed it at her eyes, Manny. Besides, since she didn't like it, maybe in the future she'll think twice before accosting people."

"She's just doing her job, Em."

"Then that makes her a toad. But not the cute kind that hang out on lily pads."

"Well, you've got the same fighting spirit you've always had, but with a peculiar sense of humor added in. I can tell that the JT Yorke influence is at work. But it suits you."

"Thanks," Emma smiled.

"Now if you've filled your crusade quota for the day, has the mall given you any inspiration yet?"

"No. You had a good idea to come here, Manny, but I still don't have a clue."

"Christmas is only a little over a week away, Emma."

"I know, and I've gotten all my other shopping done. But I can't think of what would make a great gift for JT."

"You know he's going to love anything you get him."

"But this is our first Christmas together. Sure, in the past we got cards for one another, each of us competing to see who could find the silliest yet cleverest card. And we'd get each other little things at birthday time. But this is major. I want to find something that both fits his personality and will remind him how I feel about him."

"How about clothes?"

"He's got plenty."

"Well, how about some sexy lingerie?"

"Uh, I don't think he's into wearing stuff like that. Not that I've ever actually asked him, but…No! Of course he wouldn't wear stuff like that."

"I meant get some for you to wear…for him."

"Manny!"

"Okay, okay. I figured you wouldn't go for it, but I wanted to watch that little vein that comes out on your forehead when you start to lose it."

"Very funny."

"What about CDs?"

"Between the two of us, we've already got our musical interests covered."

"DVDs?"

"Seems so impersonal."

"He helps run a theater, Emma. He likes movies. I'm sure there are a lot of films you could get that he doesn't have but wants."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to look. Do they still have a video store in this mall?"

"I think they just put in a new one a few weeks ago. I see a map over there. Let's go check."

Emma laughed.

"What is it?" Manny asked.

"This just made me think about the last time JT and I were here," Emma explained. "JT went into this whole routine about the mall map. He questioned how the map was able to say 'You are here' when even he didn't know where we were. He said there must be hidden cameras all around and that we were obviously caught in the middle of The Great Mall Conspiracy. He then said that our experience would make for a great movie…that is, if the Evil Mall Overlords didn't apprehend us first. He kept going on like this for several minutes and I think the passers-by thought he was putting on some kind of performance. If he'd had a hat on the ground, I bet they would have left money for him."

"Emma, I'm beginning to think that the managers start running in the opposite direction when they seeing you two coming into a store."

Meanwhile, in the main office of The Movie Difference, JT sat behind the desk making a phone call.

"Liberty? Hey, it's me. Were you able to locate…?"

"All three of them," Liberty answered. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"Great! I'm about to leave on my lunch break so I'll come by in about five minutes and get them, then we can take the whole thing over to the shop."

"Sounds good."

"You're sure the people that work at this place know what they're doing? I mean, they're professionals, right? Not crackheads, or maybe just terminally stupid."

"I've never had any problems there, JT."

"Good. I don't want anything to go wrong with this. And there's only a few days left. If they screw up…"

"Quit worrying. They'll get it done accurately and on time. You had a great idea. Emma's going to love this."

"I hope so. But in case she doesn't, I have another gift to give her as well."

"And what's that?"

"Just something I saw in a store window that I knew I had to get. Don't be so nosy."

"Be nice."

"I'm always nice, Liberty. It's one of my faults."

Liberty laughed.

"Anyway," JT continued, "thanks for the help. I looked all over but couldn't find them. You're the only one I knew who would have the solution."

At the mall's video store, which one could have charitably described as a hole in the wall, Emma and Manny browsed.

"Any luck?" Manny asked.

"I found a few things I wouldn't mind watching," Emma replied, "but I don't see anything that wouldn't make JT pretend to get sick. The comedies aren't older than a couple of years. The closest thing to a horror title I could find was some straight-to-video thing from last year called 'Frankenhooker Gets A Body' which I don't think is based on any best-selling novels. And they don't have any of those goofy 60s and 70s cult films he likes either."

"Mall stores never have as much on display as normal stores, Emma. Maybe they have more stuff in back. Ask that guy sitting behind the register."

"You mean that 300-pound guy in his 20s wearing the 'No Fat Chicks' T-shirt who's scratching himself?"

"What have you got to lose?"

"You mean besides my last shred of common sense?"

At this, Manny rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Manny. I'm going."

Emma approached the register.

"Excuse me."

"Hi there, pretty lady," the man responded. "What can I do you for?"

"Oh God," Manny said, mostly to herself, now realizing that this couldn't possibly go well.

"First," Emma replied, "you can promise never to say 'What can I do you for' to anyone…ever again…ever. Then, maybe you can help me and my friend locate some titles."

"Titles?"

"Of movies. You know. Motion pictures. Ever heard of them? I mean even in this poorly-lit hovel, amidst all the candy, video games and borderline porn, there ARE some movies for sale, correct?"

"Of course we sell movies. You two planning a little girls night at home?"

"Stay calm, Emma," Manny interjected.

"I'm looking for something that would make a good Christmas gift," Emma explained.

"Everything we've got is out on the shelves."

"You don't have anything else? Maybe in your storeroom?"

"Sorry."

"No old movies?"

"We've got old movies. Like I said, it's all out here. Why, we got stuff that goes all the way back to 2002."

"Forget it. Let's go, Manny."

The man ogles the young women as they start to leave.

"Hey," the man called out. "I just remembered. I think I DO have something you'd like back in the storeroom. How about I close up shop for awhile and the three of us can go back there and take a look."

At this, Emma's eyes widened and she then had a look of outrage on her face. Emma walked back toward the counter with Manny close behind.

"You REALLY shouldn't have said that," Manny told him, smiling.

"For the record," Emma began, "you couldn't convince us to jump off a sinking ship with you, much less go anywhere near your back room. And even if I was wearing 5 pairs of gloves and you didn't look and act like something a diseased squirrel vomited up, I still wouldn't touch one hair on your one-bath-taken-per-year-if-lucky head. By the way, where is the manager? You'd think he'd want to know what kind of person – and I use that term loosely – is working the register."

"I AM the manager."

"I think we'd better go, Em."

"In a moment," Emma said to Manny before turning her attention one last time to the man behind the counter. "One final word of advice. You should try flirting with the trigger-happy perfume sprayer in that department store down the other side of the mall. I bet you're the challenge she's been looking for all her life."

Emma and Manny then left the store.

"Was it something I said?" the man called out, receiving no response.

"Don't say it, Manny," Emma said as they started walking.

"What?"

"You're going to complain that I caused another scene."

"No, he definitely deserved it. But I bet all you did was turn him on. Come on, you know this has to be the most attention he's gotten from a woman in…well…ever."

"Best not to think about it like that."

"Emma, I bet he's going to fantasize about that conversation for years."

"Okay, now that's just…wrong."

The two then started laughing.

"I've really missed this," Manny said once they started to calm down.

"What? Me complaining at someone?"

"All of it, Em. Hanging out like this. Just us. I knew if I could get you to do something with me, we'd have fun today."

"I suppose you were right."

"It's been a long time."

"I agree, Manny. But we're here now. Only I'm still stuck for a gift. Maybe I'll have better luck at one of the real video stores in town."

"Even though you're doing gifts this year, are you still going to look for a strange card? Or are you going to pick one of the more romantic ones?"

"JT's a really romantic guy when he wants to be, but I don't think he'll go for one of those heavy-handed manufactured-sentiment cards."

"Then why don't you write him a letter, Emma? Give THAT to him instead of a card."

"A letter?"

"Sure. Why not? Okay, so he probably knows all the stuff you'd write down anyway, but this way he'll have it all there on paper so he can see it anytime he wants. Besides, didn't you say he was encouraging you about your writing a few weeks ago?"

"Yeah, but that was about writing petitions and not getting discouraged."

"Doesn't matter. JT will like getting something you've written that's just for him. Trust me."

Emma noticed that Manny sounded slightly downcast toward the end.

"Thinking about Craig and the songs he used to write for you?"

"Maybe a little. But you writing JT a letter would be the same type of thing. Your thoughts about him and about the two of you all on the page."

"That's a good idea. Thanks Manny."

"Just remember," Manny cautioned, cheering up, "it's supposed to be a letter, not a novel. Try not to write hundreds of pages."

"You think you're so funny, don't you?"

"Not as funny as JT, but someone has to show a sense of humor around you when you keep having confrontations in all the stores."

"I'll ignore that. Want to grab some lunch?"

"Sounds good."

"If we eat now, we'll still have time to check a few video stores before I meet JT at the theater for our movie date at 4:00. Manny?"

Emma turned to notice that Manny stopped a few feet back and was now staring inside the window of a store selling baby clothes. Emma walked back toward her.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked.

"This would have been his – or her – first Christmas. Well, the first Christmas outside in the world. I still would have been pregnant this time last year if…well, you know."

"I hadn't even been thinking about…I'm sorry, Manny. We should have taken a different path to the Food Court."

"It's okay. It's gotten to where I sometimes go weeks at a time without thinking about the miscarriage. But seeing this store, not to mention that Mall Santa earlier where the parents were bringing their kids to have pictures taken, it all started coming back to me."

Emma put her arm around Manny's shoulders.

"Manny, you know that someday years from now you're going to have a house full of kids."

"I'm sure you're right."

"Yeah. And hopefully there won't be a house full of different fathers to go with it."

At that remark, Manny let out a slight laugh.

"Good," Emma said. "I'm glad you know I was kidding."

"I bet I won't be the only one with a lot of kids, Em. I can just see the children that'll have you and JT for parents. You're going to have all of them marching up and down in various protest demonstrations, except – thanks to JT – their picket signs will all have jokes written on them. Oh, and you'll bring them fruit snacks and JT will slip them hamburgers when you aren't looking."

Emma laughed and the two resumed walking. As they got close to the Food Court, they passed the mall's theater, which caught Emma's attention.

"That's it!" Emma suddenly declared.

"What's it?"

"You gave me the letter idea to go with instead of a card. And now I think I know just the gift to get him."


	28. Home For The Holidays

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to **PsYcHoJo**, **YellyBelly**, **Fearless Dreamer**, **cutiepye06655**, **almost-never** & **Dark Spell** for the recent reviews.

****

Chapter 28 -- Home For The Holidays

It was roughly 10 a.m. on Christmas morning. JT was walking through the neighborhood when his cell phone rang.

"Hello," JT answered as he continued down the sidewalk.

"JT, where are you?!" a loud voice asked.

"And 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' to you too, Emma."

"Never mind that. Why aren't you over here?"

"I'm not due at your place until noon."

"Well, sure, if you want to get technical about it. What, you've never heard of showing up early?"

"This is family time. I'm not going to get in the way of that."

"Yes, because my family is just so traditional and we won't let you in until the moment the clock strikes twelve," Emma said sarcastically. "Everyone is happy you're spending Christmas over here, and you don't have to wait until some official time to show up."

"Keep talking that way and I might start to believe you're waiting for me before you can have some fun."

"Dream on, JT. In fact, I'm having fun right now without you here. Tons of fun."

There was a brief pause and then Emma spoke again.

"That sounded convincing enough, right, JT?"

JT laughed.

"I'll see you at noon, Emma."

"Since you're not here and apparently not at home, where exactly ARE you anyway?"

"Just out walking."

"You're out trying to buy me a last-minute gift. Is that it? You lost track of time in the last week and forgot to buy me something. So now you're wandering around trying to figure something out."

"Yes, that's it exactly," JT replied, rolling his eyes. "Can't fool you, Emma."

"Sorry. I'm just happy, and I can't wait to see you."

"Likewise. Now go back and have fun with your family. Noon isn't that far off."

"Okay. See you soon."

After their phone conversation ended, JT kept walking but soon heard a voice from behind him.

"JT Yorke."

JT turned around to see who was calling his name.

"Ellie Nash," JT responded as the young woman stopped jogging and began walking alongside of him. He looked at how she was dressed – a black sweatsuit. "Ellie, you do realize this is Christmas. Not Halloween."

"Clever," Ellie replied.

"I never pictured you as the jogger type, Ellie."

"I've found that jogging is a good way to work off stress."

"I agree."

"Certainly better than falling back on…old habits. So, you open today, JT?"

"No, my fly's up. It's too cold to flash people during this time of year."

"You never give anyone a straight answer, do you?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"What I meant was, will the theater be open later on today?"

"Afraid not."

"Lots of theaters are open on Christmas."

"Then you shouldn't have any trouble finding a place to go."

"Yeah, like I really want to see the new big-budget so-called blockbuster which has the same basic plot as a dozen other big budget so-called blockbusters that have come out in the last few months."

"Unfortunately, those are the films that make theaters enough money to make it worthwhile to stay open on a holiday. Don't worry, my non-conformist friend. TMD will be open again tomorrow so your indy film sensibilities won't suffer from too much withdrawal."

"Watch it, JT. Don't try to make me sound like one of those film snobs. I think you and I are basically the same way. We both despise the boring crap that passes for entertainment at the mainstream theaters."

"That's true."

"And it's not like I don't also come around when you guys show some of the older cult films."

"You're right. But if you were to actually show up on a Saturday afternoon when we're showing the old comedies, that in itself would be an entertaining sight. I'm not sure if you could handle it, since you might actually have to laugh a time or two."

"If I want comedy, I'll go to the mall theater and watch one of the predictable romantic comedies. The people that actually enjoy sitting through those type of films get rather testy when you start laughing at what's supposed to be a serious, tear-jerker moment."

"I know what you mean."

"So, if you're not opening today, I guess it's a good thing I'm staying with someone who has a satellite dish. With that, there's bound to be one worthwhile channel."

"Or you could always watch the 103rd showing – so far today – of 'It's A Wonderful Life,' or as I like to call it, 'It's A Wonderful Life As Long As I Don't Have To Sit Through This Movie.'"

"How about 'Miracle on 34th Street,'" Ellie played along, "which we could call 'Miracle If We Can Keep A Straight Face Through 34 Minutes Of This.'"

"I like that. But you know, Ellie, if you'd like to see our place open on days like this, you can always make a recommendation with Sal, the owner and manager."

"I tried talking to him once before. I suggested a film he ought to try and get. He got awfully nervous."

"It was probably all your piercings. He's basically an old-fashioned guy. People with lots more holes in their body than they were born with tend to make Sal a bit jittery."

Ellie laughed.

"So, Ellie, what are your plans for today – I mean besides jogging and complaining to me for not encouraging my boss to open up shop?"

"Well, you know I room with Ashley on campus, right?"

"Yeah."

"With the campus closed for a few days, I'm staying with Ash at her mom's place. I figured I'd get out for a little while this morning and give them some mother-daughter time before lunch. Though it's interesting to watch how a normal mother and daughter act around one another. What about you?"

"I've never been a mother or a daughter so I can't really say."

"Funny. I mean, what are you doing today?"

"I'm spending the day at Emma's place with her and her family. Like you, I'm letting them do their thing for awhile before I join them."

"Oh, that's right. Your mom. Last spring."

"Yeah," JT replied.

"I know how it is, JT. My dad, he…It's been about a year."

"I remember. I'm sorry."

"I get by," Ellie responded. "You're not going to ask about my mom, are you?"

"I hadn't planned to, no. And I notice you haven't asked about my dad."

"Yeah."

"As you say, Ellie, we get by. And it helps to have good friends."

"Absolutely."

"And of course there's Emma. She always makes sure I stay sane – but never so sane that life gets boring. She's really something special. Anyway, I'm almost at my destination, so don't let me hold you up. Get back to your jogging, not to mention confusing the black cats in the neighborhood who might think you're one of them, only much bigger."

"You jog around the neighborhood, too, don't you?" Ellie asked. "I think I've seen you sometimes from a distance."

"Yeah, I try to when I have the chance, which isn't that often. I've gotten Emma to join me a couple of times, but she hasn't really gotten the hang of it so far. Unfortunately for her feet, I don't give up so easy."

"See you around the theater, JT."

"Merry Christmas, Ellie. Or, for your benefit, should I just say 'Merry Holiday Where Corporate Greed Takes Precedence Over Honest Emotion?'"

"I like that, but I'm in an almost sentimental mood today, so you can just say 'Christmas' and I won't object."

"Then 'Merry Christmas' it is."

"You too, JT. Oh and thanks."

"For what?"

"Not prying about my old home life."

"It's the present and the future that count. Right?"

Ellie smiled and nodded her head in agreement then hurried on ahead. JT continued walking for a short time until he turned and walked through a driveway, barely managing not to trip over various stray objects scattered on the ground. He walked up to the door and knocked.

"Who is it?" a voice called out from inside.

"Bill Collector," JT replied. "But my friends call me Billy."

The door opened.

"That was terrible, JT," Sean said, standing in the doorway.

"Hey, it's cold out here. My brain needs time to thaw out before my humor can be at its usual top form."

"Come on in."

"You know a person could trip and crack his skull out here with all those tools and spare car parts lying around."

"Yeah, well we gave the maid the week off for the holidays."

JT laughed and entered the house.

"That wasn't bad, Sean. Now that you're no longer mingling with the criminal element, you're developing the beginning stages of a sense of humor. Keep this up and one day you'll be ready for civilized society."

"JT, these motivational talks of yours are so inspiring. Can I have your autograph?"

"Sorry, I don't give autographs on holidays. Perhaps some other time. And since you're one of my biggest fans, I'll even throw in a T-shirt with my picture on it. At half-price, it's a steal. Oops, guess I shouldn't use the word 'steal' in case the police have this place bugged."

The two laughed.

"So what are you doing over here anyway?" Sean asked.

"Me? Oh, just passing by and…Okay, I'm not just passing by. You've got a plan, right?"

"A plan?"

"For today."

"I'm not sure what you mean, JT."

"You know. A plan. Either you go somewhere or someone comes here. Eating. Watching bad TV. Whatever."

"Oh, that kind of plan."

"You told me a few days ago how your brother takes a lot of out-of-town jobs, but you never said if he was going to be in town today or not."

"He's here."

JT looked at him in disbelief.

"Okay, he's not HERE here, as in here in the house right now. He stayed over at his girlfriend's place last night. But he'll be back here later on. He's bringing some sandwiches and stuff with him. All I need to do is turn on the TV, hit it a few times so it will warm up and we're good."

"Good."

"Emma was right when she said you try to look out for your friends."

"Let's not get carried away, Sean. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure that…Well, nobody should have to spend today alone – even brooding reformed gangsters dealing with serious eyebrow issues. So it's good your brother's going to be around."

Sean laughed but then grew serious.

"Thanks, JT."

"Don't worry about it, Sean."

"No. No joking around. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Want to stick around for a little while? The police won't raid the place, I promise."

JT laughed.

"In that case, I guess I can stay for awhile. But then I gotta walk back to the house, grab the gifts I bought and head over to Emma's before noon."

"You walked here?"

"Hey, you don't live that far away. Besides, I wouldn't want any of your neighbors making off with my hubcaps. As it is, I've heard cab drivers won't come to a complete stop when they pick up or drop off people who live on this block."

"So, this is your first time over here. What do you think of the place?"

JT looked around.

"It…it has character. Yeah, that's it."

"Such restraint, JT," Sean joked. "All the possible sarcastic comments are building up inside you wanting to break free. You want a Coke or something?"

"Sure," JT answered, sitting down at the kitchen table. "No, this place has that lived-in look. Lived in many, many, many times. But it's interesting."

Sean set cans down on the table for each of them, than he sat down opposite JT.

"So, Sean, have you heard from THEM today?"

"Not a word," Sean answered, knowing JT was referring to his parents.

"And that's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah. They're the last two people I want to talk to on any given day. Today's no different just because it's Christmas."

"That's good."

"What about you, JT? He bother to pick up a phone today?"

"No."

"And that's a good thing, right?" Sean asked, repeating JT's earlier question.

"Yeah. He's finally doing something I wanted and not contacting me. I bet he's probably off at some ski resort with his secretary. Not that he was ever a fun guy to have around on holidays. He'd act like he was having fun, but even as a kid I could tell his heart wasn't in it. Mother was good with holidays, but even she sometimes seemed like she'd rather spend the time alone with him.

"Not that I ever had a bad Christmas. What would always happen is that after lunch, either I'd end up going to Emma's or she'd come over to our place. We'd exchange cards and then hang out. It's funny, even growing up, my best Christmas memories are of her and me doing stuff.

"And now we're grown up, and still hanging out on Christmas. Only now we're spending most of the day together and things are better than ever. But I'm sure you don't want to hear about that."

"It's okay," Sean reassured JT. "Like I told Emma a few weeks ago, I think it's good that you two are together. You're good for her, and it sounds like she's good for you, too. Anyway, like you, I didn't rely on my folks when it came to the holidays. It was always Tracker who did his best to make sure things were calm – or at least as calm as they were ever going to get in our house – and that we had a good time."

"That's good that you had him there, Sean."

"Yeah, as long as he was around, things never got too ugly around there. But that doesn't mean he hasn't been a real pain in the ass a lot of times."

JT laughed.

"So what did you get her?" Sean asked.

"Emma? I'm not saying a word."

"Yeah, like I'm going to call and tell her as soon as you leave."

"No, but this is Emma we're talking about. Eyes and ears open at all times. For all I know she's planted a bug in the lining of my coat and is listening to see if she can find out any details."

"Good point."

"I love her, but she doesn't have a lot of patience. That's one of the ways we're different. Hey, she hasn't mentioned to you what she got for me, has she?"

Sean rolled his eyes.

"What?!" JT asked. "I'm not impatient. Just…understandably curious."


	29. That's What I Want For Christmas

****

The Long And Winding Road

****

Chapter 29 -- That's What I Want For Christmas

On Christmas afternoon at the Nelson/Simpson home, JT was sitting at the kitchen table when Spike entered.

"How's Jack?" JT asked.

"Sound asleep upstairs," she replied. "Playing with his new toys took a lot out of him."

"You mean playing with the boxes that all his new toys came in."

"True," Spike laughed. "And Snake's in our room on the phone with his brother. They hardly get to see each other so I'm sure they'll be playing catch-up for awhile. Where's Emma?"

"Bathroom. Thanks again for having me over for lunch and everything, Mrs. N."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm glad you wanted to. I know you haven't had the easiest year and I was hoping that wouldn't dampen your spirits about celebrating the holidays."

"There were some rough spots. Really rough. But in other ways it's been the best year yet. Anyway, thank you for the gifts. It wasn't necessary."

"I'll decide what's necessary, thank you very much," Spike said, trying to sound stern but smiling.

"Like mother, like daughter," JT joked.

"It was really easy. Emma mentioned a DVD you might like. She said as long as I didn't try to find it at the mall I'd be okay."

"And the socks?"

"Hey, I was already in a store. There they were. I figured a person could always use another pair. It seemed like a very…"

"A very motherly thing to do?"

"Well…yeah."

"Yeah, it sounds like one of those items my mother would pick up on the spur of the moment while getting other things."

"I hope I didn't cross a line or anything."

"Not at all. You and Mr. Simpson have both been really helpful this year. That means something."

"Hey and thank you, too. Snake and I love that Greek restaurant, but hardly ever get to go. That gift certificate will come in handy."

"When I asked Emma what the two of you wanted most, she said a night out alone. I thought she meant you each wanted to go to a separate place. After smacking me in the shoulder, she said she meant you wanted a night out alone together. Like I told the two of you earlier, just let me know what night you want to go. I'll make sure I'm off work, and me and Emma will take care of Jack for the night."

"That'll be great. Say, JT, since it seems we actually have a moment where things aren't hectic around here, there's something I've wanted to say to you."

"Sounds ominous."

"Nothing too bad," Spike responded. "You know how fond I was of your mother. Doesn't mean I always understood her. Maybe Jillian should have taken a different approach when it came to handling the distant relationship between you and your father. I think she loved you both and was trying to find some way to keep everyone together. But I know she would be very proud of you. How you've handled things in her absence, balancing school, work and your personal life, as well as how you handled your father's visit last month."

"Thanks, Mrs. N."

Emma then entered the kitchen.

"Ah, there you are, JT."

She went over to where JT was sitting and put a hand on his shoulder.

"And now I think I'll leave you two alone and go up and look in on Jack," Spike said, and then she left the kitchen.

"How are you doing, JT?"

"Great, Emma."

"Having a good day so far?"

"A warm house. A free meal. No school or work. How could I not have a good day?"

Emma frowned, which made JT laugh.

"And you're a reason for that good day too, of course. Hey, I had to save the best for last, right?"

"Okay, that's better," Emma said, now smiling. "But watch it. Care to walk with me into the living room?"

"I could do that."

JT stood and they made their way into the living room and sat together on the couch.

"Yes, so far it's been a great day, Emma. I got a kick out of Jack getting all confused over your dad wearing that Santa hat earlier. He had this look on his face like 'Hey, you mean Dad is Santa? Who knew?'"

Emma laughed.

"Thankfully, Mom managed to get Archie to take the hat off before we ate."

"Awww, you're not still anti-Santa after all this time, are you, Emma?"

"I have never been anti-Santa, JT. I don't know where you come up with this stuff."

"Emma…"

"Okay, sure, the name 'Santa' is an anagram of 'Satan'…But I've never made a fuss about it."

"I remember that you once told me how relieved you were when you first learned the truth about Santa Claus. You said it was good to know he wasn't real because otherwise he should have been locked up long ago."

"JT, we're talking about a very out-of-shape old guy who forces those poor mistreated reindeer to spend the night hauling his fat self around the world just because he has no sense of time management, puts everything off until Christmas Eve and apparently has never heard of UPS or FedEx. Also, he's an enabler. The lead reindeer Rudolph? The one with the red nose? Obviously a drinking problem. But does that old guy care?"

"It's the North Pole, Emma. I'm sure there aren't any sanitariums for all the alcoholic reindeer to check into up there. Besides, you're only concerned about the fictional animals in this story."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't forget that there are also fictional people being affected. Santa's basically running a sweatshop. He's kidnapped all those midgets, put them in strange clothes and forced them to work constantly and even live with him, calling them 'Santa's Little Helpers'. Santa's a taskmaster with an elf fetish."

"That's a very good point, JT. I never even considered that. Anyway, it IS good that it's only a fictional character. Though you have to question whether it's a character you really want to tell kids about in the first place."

JT laughed and then kissed her.

"Is it any wonder why you're my favorite person, Emma?"

"I'm so glad you're here, JT. I mean, I know we're together every day anyway and we've always gotten together at some point on Christmas, but I'm really glad today."

"Me too," JT agreed. "Even if I'm STILL waiting to see what you got me."

"I'm cruel. I know. But I thought it would be nice to wait and we could exchange our gifts to each other in private. Hope you didn't mind too much."

"Romantic and suspenseful at the same time? What's not to enjoy?"

Emma stood and walked toward the Christmas tree and grabbed a large package leaning against the wall, then she returned and handed it to JT.

"Thanks Emma."

JT started to open the envelope that was attached to the package, but Emma stopped him.

"Hold off on that, JT."

"What's going on?"

"It's not a card in the envelope. I know we've always gotten crazy, silly cards for each other every year, but this year I decided to do something different. I wrote you a letter."

"Uh-oh. This is one of those chain letters, isn't it? Now I'm going to have to send copies of it to ten people or face tons of bad luck. Thanks a lot, Emma."

"Don't worry, JT," Emma responded, rolling her eyes. "You're safe. No, it's just some things I wanted to write down for you to read, to keep. Thoughts about you…me…us. Most of it isn't anything you haven't already heard me say. Other things I haven't said before but they've been in my heart. Don't look at it now. Later, when the time is right, you can read it."

"See, now I want to read it more than ever."

"Just hang onto it, okay?"

"Okay, if you insist."

"Besides, you've still got the gift to open."

JT put the letter to one side. Emma laughed as she watched JT waste no time ripping through the wrapping paper to get to his gift.

"Wow."

JT held the gift out and looked at. This was a framed reproduction of a movie poster for Charlie Chaplin's film 'The Gold Rush'. JT's facial expression turned from surprise to happy.

"You like it?"

"Emma, it's great. How…?"

"Me and Manny were at the mall a week or so ago. I wasn't having any luck finding something to get you. Then we passed the mall theater and I looked to see what was playing. Looking over at the various posters, it hit me. I'd try to find a poster for one of the movies we've watched together over the years. I was hoping I'd find a poster for one of your favorites.

"So I checked the Web and found that there's a little movie memorabilia store on the other side of town. I called and, unlike anyone at the mall, the guy I spoke to seemed to know his business and the kind of thing I was looking for. Although he did laugh at me briefly because I was afraid the posters couldn't be in good condition considering the movies were made so long ago. Okay, so I hadn't thought about them being reproductions and not the originals. I didn't know how it all worked. I guess I wouldn't have had the money for an actual original anyway so it's just as well.

"Anyway, the next Monday afternoon while you were working, Manny and I drove out to this place. They had a decent selection of posters from all through the years, and then I saw this and how could I NOT get it."

"Emma, not only is this one of my favorite films, but it's the first one we saw on the Saturday when…"

"…When we finally got smart and got together. Yeah, I'll never forget it. I was sitting there with you watching. Half of me was really enjoying the film. And half of me was annoyed that I was going to be stuck going on that double date. And half of me was wishing I could just get my tongue and vocal chords all working properly so I could tell you that we should forget our dates and go somewhere for the evening just the two of us.

"Emma, that's three halves of yourself you just listed. I don't think it works like that."

"Hey, you said it yourself – we're not in school today. Cut me some slack on the math."

JT laughed.

"Anyway, the man said that there were several different posters designed for this film. He had copies of two of the versions. Oh, I wish I could have gotten both, but I could only afford one. That is, if I wanted to be able to take it and get it framed. Which I wanted to and did. As you can see. This looked like the better design. Not that the other one wasn't nice, too. It was. But I think I'm a good judge of what you'd like and what you wouldn't. Still, tomorrow I can take you and show you the other one and if…"

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

"Breathe."

JT put the gift down and then reached over and hugged Emma. Afterward he grabbed hold of her hand.

"This is great, angel. Like you said, you're a good judge about what I like, so don't start second-guessing."

"I also figured that it's about time you have something that's yours to hang up in your living room. Something that's not your mom's or that guy's. I know you'll be getting another place next fall, but for the time being that house has become all yours and it should look the part."

"That's a good idea. Come over tomorrow and help me hang it up?"

"You bet. After all, someone needs to be there to make sure you don't hammer your thumb instead of the nail."

"Cute, Emma. Anyway, as much as I enjoy having all the attention focused on me, I suppose it's only right that I get your gifts."

"Gifts? As in more than one?"

"Never hurts to carry a spare."

JT went over to the tree and brought back to Emma one small box on top of a larger, heavier box.

"We were on the same wavelength as far as lack of cards. I wanted to do things right and, well…start with the smaller box."

Emma saw there was a little note folded over and taped to the package. She removed the small piece of paper, unfolded it and read it silently to herself.

_Emma –  
With all of my heart. Always.  
– JT_

"JT, you're going to make me cry, and I haven't even opened the first box."

"Sorry, Emma. I knew I should have just gone for the bizarre and bought the card that showed the Christmas turkey climbing into the oven while singing 'I'll Be Home For Christmas.'"

"No!" Emma replied, laughing. "Not bad crying. Good."

She opened the package and found a jewelry box.

"I saw it in a store and knew it was for you," JT explained.

Emma opened the box and found a silver necklace with a heart attached.

"JT, it's beautiful."

"Not as much as the person who's going to be wearing it, but it is rather nifty."

"Here, put it on me," Emma said while handing the necklace to JT.

"Now I wasn't sure about the exact size of your neck. I mean, your neck's not big or anything, but it's probably the one part of you that I really haven't paid that much attention to. The woman behind the counter looked at me like I was nuts, but she promised that neck size wasn't going to be a problem and that this would fit."

He placed the jewelry around her neck, then she looked down at it and lifted up the heart.

"I hope you know that you've got mine, Jamie."

"So I did good?"

Emma smiled thinking about JT's unusual display of uncertainty.

"Yes, I'd say you did pretty good," she replied.

"Good. I'm one for one. Time for the other gift. And just remember, if you can't stand it, at least you've gotten one good gift."

"Quit worrying already and let me open the box," Emma said, pretending to sound annoyed.

She opened the box in her lap and found a thick dark-green hardcover volume.

"Looks nice. I'm curious what book it could be, since I don't ever remember telling you who some of my favorite authors are at the moment."

Emma lifted the book out of the box and turned it around to the front. The front cover stated – in gold lettering – the title, 'The Writings of Emma Nelson'.

"This was a clever gift, JT. I had no idea there was a published author with the same name as me."

"Open it up, Emma. Any page."

She picked a spot toward the middle of the book and opened it. As she looked on, an expression of surprise came over her face.

"Um, this isn't someone else's work. This was me. Is me. I wrote this."

"I know," JT smiled. "I kinda thought the title explained all that."

"Huh?" Emma asked, clearly confused.

"This book is a collection of all the editorials you've gotten published in the school paper, as well as the two – out of however many you've submitted – which you've written that made it into the local paper."

"How did you…?"

"Naturally, I've kept a copy of the work that made it into the local paper. But I've also saved all your editorials from The Grapevine from the last couple of years. The older stuff was a little trickier, but I found most of those back issues buried at various locations in that one closet of mine that you like to call 'The Realm of No Return'. You've always complained that I don't throw anything away. Well, it's a good thing I didn't.

"Anyway, I made copies of all the editorials I had. I was still missing a few, including that one you wrote early on that got ripped out of most of the copies. But since Liberty has archives of all the issues, she was able to get me copies of the stuff I was missing.

"I got everything together in chronological order and took the copies over to this printing and binding place that Liberty's used in the past. It wasn't like the copy place a few blocks from here. These guys didn't seem stoned out of their minds. They do custom binding at this shop. So they made up some nicer printouts and put this collection together as one big book. I knew you'd written a lot, but this came out to a couple hundred pages. Oh, and just so you know, your book has a print run of two. I had a copy made up for myself as well as yours."

"JT, I don't know what to say."

"From the looks of this book, you could have fooled me. Kidding. Last month I told you not to start putting your work down. I was talking about those petitions you write, but it's the same with stuff like this. You're good at this. And you can tell how much better you keep getting just by looking through here. The early ones are okay, but…Well, the farther you get into this book, the better the writing gets.

"Emma, you know that sometimes I don't understand what you're talking about, but even when I don't get it, I get it. If that makes any sense. Oh, and…well…I'm very proud of you."

"JT…"

"But then I'm kind of crazy, Emma, so what do I know."

Emma laughed.

"JT, I notice on the spine that it says this is Volume 1."

"I'm sure in a few years there's going to be more than enough material for a sequel. After all, we have one more semester to go at Degrassi. Then I'm sure your opinions will find their way into the university paper.

"Anyway, I hope you like this. I don't know, maybe you'd rather have gotten an autographed picture of Skippy the Endangered Sea Turtle or something. But if you don't like it, at least you've got the necklace. And I suppose you could always recycle the paper that was used in the book, so it won't be a total loss. But…"

Emma interrupts JT with a lengthy kiss.

"So," JT begins after the kiss, somewhat flustered, "I guess that means this wasn't that bad of an idea?"

"I didn't need anything, yet you managed to give me two of the best possible gifts."

"Hey, you did a great job, too. I can't believe you found this movie poster. And I like the frame job. Sometime you're going to have to show me this shop you found. I didn't know there was such a place around here."

"I'm glad you like it."

"Hey Emma, could you do me a favor and get me something to drink?"

"Oh. Sure, no problem. What would you like?"

"Surprise me."

Emma left the room. JT double-checked to make sure she was completely gone, then he grabbed his envelope and opened it. Emma's letter to him was several pages long, front and back. After a minute, Emma started to return with drinks in hand but noticed JT busy reading.

She stepped back enough so that she could still see him but he would hopefully not notice her. While standing and observing, she saw him start to laugh. She hoped that he was laughing at one of the humorous comments she made rather than one of the serious comments. After another minute she saw what looked like him wiping a tear from his eye and then he was smiling. Soon, he finished and started to fold the letter and put it back in the envelope, so Emma stepped back further and prepared for her official return.

"Sorry it took so long," Emma called out as though had been in the kitchen the whole time. "I couldn't make up my mind what to bring back. Here I come."

JT, having heard Emma's voice, kept moving the envelope around on the couch, hoping it wouldn't look like he'd already opened it. Emma then entered with a cup of coffee for each of them.

"Thanks," JT said, taking one of the cups. He took a sip. "What happened? It's not very warm."

"That's funny," Emma responded. "They were still warm a few minutes ago when I brought them in…err…I mean…Hey, are you okay? Your eyes look a little watery."

"They do? Oh yeah, well…I, uh…Okay, don't tell your mom, but this room must be really dusty. I think the dust got into my eyes and nose. I started sneezing and, well, the eyes do get a little watery when you sneeze."

"Uh-huh. But I didn't hear you sneeze."

"Sneezes are quieter in the winter. I thought you knew that. So quiet that I'm sure you couldn't hear them from in the kitchen."

"Yeah, that's right. From the kitchen. Where I was the whole time. Um, okay, except for when I was almost in here watching you."

"Oh? Yeah, well…You just said wait til later. You didn't say how much later. So my failed sneakiness doesn't count against me…unlike a certain person who it seems was spying on me."

"Okay, okay. You're impatient and I'm nosy. It's not like we haven't known this since we were 4 years old. So, was it a good tear, or an 'Oh my God, I'm dating a whacko who's writing me all this deep personal stuff about us that I don't wanna know about' tear?"

"A good one," JT said laughing. "Like you said, most of what you wrote wasn't exactly a secret to me, but…Hey, I told you that you were a great writer. This is just more proof. I'm glad you wrote me this, Emma."

Emma then kissed him.

"You're great at that, too," JT told her.

"We definitely don't need any mistletoe around to encourage us to engage in a kiss," Emma remarked.

"Thank goodness. I don't trust mistletoe."

"JT, not this again," Emma rolled her eyes.

"You mock me, Emma, but you can't explain it either."

"For the last time, JT, I don't know why it's called mistleTOE, but I promise you there are no toes involved."

"You don't think maybe they sneak into people's homes and cut off someone's toes while the person is asleep? Then they take the toes, grind them up and mix it with fertilizer when it's time to plant the mistletoe crop each year?"

"That's disgusting, JT. By the way, I love you. Merry Christmas!"

"I love you, too, Emma. But don't change the subject. Maybe you should write an editorial on the dangers of mistletoe and the threat of a toeless society."

"How about we watch some TV instead. I think 'It's A Wonderful Life' is about to come on again. I love that one."

"Oh no, Emma. Not that!"

"It's a sweet movie, JT."

"Ugh. And you thought the story of mistletoe was disgusting…"

**Next Chapter –** Hit The Road

**Notes:** Thanks to **PsYcHoJo**, **Fearless Dreamer**, **radiance x**, **cutiepye06655**, **almost-never**, **Dark Spell**, **blondenbeautiful**, **Kristine** & **CastingCrownsFan** for the recent reviews and encouragement.


	30. Hit The Road

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to **PsYcHoJo**, **cutiepye06655**, **YellyBelly** & **Kristine** for the Ch. 29 reviews and to all who enjoyed that three-chapter Christmas arc.

Chapter 30 – Hit The Road

It was 11 a.m. on the day after Christmas. Emma and JT were at his house, the task of hanging his gift on the wall nearly complete. Emma was moving the framed poster around on the nail while JT stood back several feet so they could determine if it was properly balanced.

"What about now?" Emma asked.

"It still looks like it's leaning a little toward the right," JT responded.

"That's because you've got your head tilted to the right," Emma said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh." JT straightened his head and looked again. "Perfect."

Emma made sure the wall hanging was secure, then walked toward JT.

"There you go."

"Thanks Emma." JT then pointed toward her neck. "And how's the necklace holding up?"

Emma looked down at her heart necklace then back up at JT.

"Well, I've had it for almost 24 hours and it hasn't turned my neck green, so I guess it's going to be okay."

"Funny, Emma."

"Just kidding," Emma said, hugging him.

"It's getting near lunchtime. Want to head over to Ryan's and grab something?"

"In a little while, JT. I want to ask you something first."

"Okay."

They sat down together on the couch.

"What's on your mind?" JT asked.

"I was wondering if you'd…well, you're still free this Friday, right?"

"As a bird."

"Do you feel like getting out of town for the day?"

"All right! Road trip!" JT shouted excitedly. "We should have done this long before now. Wait until you sample some of those great roadside diners. I hear that at some of them, the Special of the Day is whatever roadkill the cook discovers splattered along the highway on his way to work."

"JT…"

"Sorry Emma, but if you just order a salad at one of these places, those great big truck drivers will laugh you right out of there."

"JT…"

"Any particular destination in mind, or are we just going to hit the road and see what we can find?"

"Well…I was thinking we could go to Stouffville."

The excitement quickly faded from JT's face.

"So…I think I'm going to get a hamburger at Ryan's. What about you, Emma?"

"I want to know what you're thinking."

"You going to get a veggie burger? One of these days I'm planning to ask Mrs. Ryan if you're the only one who ever orders those things."

"What's wrong with going to Stouffville?"

"What's RIGHT with going to Stouffville?"

"Come on, JT."

"That's not a road trip, Emma. It's less than a half-hour drive. Okay, yeah, it always seems to take YOU half a day by train, but that's what happens when you use a form of transportation that makes a horse and buggy look like a competitive racer."

"You do this every year, JT."

"What? Mock the train system? No, I think this was the first time."

"I mean, I usually go for a visit once a year and you never want to go with me."

"Do we really have to get into all of this now?"

"I know what it is. You're still mad because I didn't ask you to go with me that first time. Is that it?"

"Emma…"

"No, JT. I know what I'm talking about. The only time you've ever truly gotten mad at me was when you found out that I went and found Shane and hadn't asked you to go along with me."

"And here we go…" JT remarked, getting frustrated.

"Again, I would have asked you. I wanted to, but I couldn't even consider it. So when Sean wouldn't go, I asked Craig."

"It never bothered me that you asked Craig. And now that I'm friends with the guy, I think it's great that he was able to help you out back then. But you never even gave me the choice, and that's what made me mad at the time."

"I couldn't give you the choice because you would have said 'Yes,' and I didn't want to be the one responsible for you skipping out on classes. Having your father annoyed with me was one thing, but I wasn't going to chance your mom turning against me."

"She wouldn't have. She would have understood what we were doing."

"Maybe," Emma replied, still uncertain.

"I know that Toby liked to say she was a battleaxe, but that's only because she always thought Toby was, in her words, 'a very peculiar little person'. And she didn't mind saying it to his face. Anyway, with the way she felt about you, I know she would have been okay about me and you taking off on an important mission.

"But, that's all ancient history, Emma. Yeah, I got mad when I heard about what happened – how you took off on this big life-changing adventure and it seemed like you didn't want me there – but I got over it."

"I know. Two days later you confronted me before homeroom, and by the end of the same day we were okay again."

"What can I say?" JT smiled. "I'm just not as vicious as a certain someone who would give a best friend the silent treatment for a week the following year when you got mad at me."

"Okay, so I'm better at staying mad than you are," Emma laughed. "That, and you can never keep quiet long enough to give someone the silent treatment."

"You got me there."

"So we're agreed about going to Stouffville?"

"I don't think it's a good idea, Emma."

"Give me reasons, JT."

"Okay, here's two reasons. What about your folks?"

"They know I try to go see Shane at least once a year. I've been back to visit him twice since that first time. They're fine with it."

"Good. I'm happy you were able to work it all out. But that doesn't mean they'd be thrilled with me going with you."

"What?"

"They might think I'm taking sides against them."

"That's ridiculous."

"No it isn't. I already lost one set of parents this year. I don't want to lose access to your folks, too."

"JT, there ARE no sides. Anyway, you know they wouldn't get mad at you for letting me introduce you to Shane. In fact, they were more surprised that I could never convince you to go with me either of the last two times."

"Well what about you?"

"Me?"

"Those last two times you went to visit, you came back all sad. That can't be any good."

"Yeah, I get a little down thinking of Shane stuck there, but I'm still glad he's there where people can take proper care of him."

"Last time you saw him, you came back suddenly open to the idea of eating chicken."

"That's what they were serving for lunch at the institution that day. Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled, but since I was there and he liked it, I went ahead and ate a sandwich with him. I felt a little guilty because it was actually kind of good, but it was even better because we got to share something he enjoyed. So now sometimes I'll eat chicken. Okay, I had to stop calling myself a vegetarian, but it's been about a year and no hordes of militant vegetarians have come after me for making the one exception to my eating habits."

"Yeah well, the good thing to remember about vegetarians is that they may kill you, but at least they won't eat you."

"It may seem silly, JT, but I think it helps give me and him some kind of real world connection to one another apart from the official 'biological father' thing."

"Next time," JT said coldly, "maybe you'll come back wanting to wear a jacket that ties around in the back, to give yourself another father-daughter feel-good memory."

"Shane doesn't wear a straightjacket."

"Not the point.

"I know."

"You shouldn't let people who aren't quite right in the head have an influence on you."

"I wouldn't say that, JT. After all, YOU influence me in many ways."

"Cute, Emma."

"You were supposed to laugh."

"I just don't like to see you hurt. No. Make that, I can't stand to see you hurt. And that's what always happens when you go there. You get these high hopes that you're going to walk in and Shane McKay will take one look at you and magically get all better. I'm telling you, Emma, getting involved with stuff like this…"

Emma then laid her head on JT's shoulder.

"…Is all the more reason for you to come along. Listen JT, I love you for worrying about me the way you do. But I AM going to visit him, and I want you there with me."

"He's not your father. Not in the real way. Trust me when I say that when it comes to fathers, just because something's official, that doesn't mean it's real."

"I know. And it's not like I even think of him as my father. Not really. But he IS a part of me. And it's important that I spend some time with him, even if it's only once a year."

JT let out a heavy sigh.

"Okay, Emma. We'll go together this Friday."

"Great!" Emma shouted, before sitting up and kissing JT. "I've already called the facility and told them to expect us to visit that day."

JT wanted to be annoyed, but one look at the excitement on Emma's face and he couldn't help but laugh about how confident she was that she could change his mind.

"You were awfully sure I'd agree."

"I knew you wouldn't turn me down a third time," Emma smiled.

"But if we're really going to do this, Emma, we're using the buddy system."

"And that is…?"

"We stick together at all times. No splitting up. Once you're alone, they have you right where they want you."

"Okay, now I have no idea what you're talking about."

"These places…Don't you know?"

"Know what, JT?"

"That whenever people go together to visit someone or conduct business…if one of the people in the group gets separated or goes off on his own, he gets captured by one of the people that works there. He gets locked away in one of the back rooms and is never heard from again."

"And you know this how?"

"Emma, you're the expert on animals and greenery. But I think in this area I know a lot more."

"When did you suddenly become an expert on mental institutions?"

"I've seen all sorts of movies and TV shows that take place in asylums. This one we're going to may treat Shane nice, but the doctors are just waiting for outsiders like us to walk in unprepared so they can grab us up and use us for experiments."

"How come I haven't had any trouble when I've been there?"

"Frankly, I'm surprised you made it out in one piece the two times when you went on your own. Maybe the doctors were all in conference. Or on the golf course. Or in conference on the golf course. But you don't want to turn your back on anyone official around there. They might be carrying a big net or something. Trust me, you can't trust what goes on at insane asylums."

"This isn't some horrible asylum like the kind in the old movies, JT. It's a rather upscale sanitarium."

"Maybe. But I still bet we could find a big orderly named Igor lurking around corners waiting to pounce if he spots a potential inmate."

"You're right, JT," Emma replied, grinning. "I think you'd better stay close to me just in case they figure out how great you'd fit in around there. Don't worry. I'll be there to protect you."

"Just so we agree to stick together. Remember, the doctors are called head-shrinkers for a reason."

"How scary is it that right now I can't tell if you're joking with me about all this or not? Okay, here's the deal: We will take your car and drive to Stouffville on Friday morning. We will stay together at all times, even though I can promise you that nothing strange is going to happen. Okay, strike that. Nothing strange will happen apart from the strange things that always seem to happen when you're involved. And, nothing is going to happen that will make me really sad, but even if it does I know you'll be there looking out for me. Are we agreed?"

"We're agreed."

"Oh, and one more thing…"

"I knew there had to be a catch."

"No, silly. Not a catch. A promise. Sometime soon, we WILL take one of those road trips you were hoping for, JT. Just you, me, a car and no map."

"Good."

"But I refuse to eat any roadkill specials. And I'll take on any truck driver who dares to laugh at me."

"And I have no doubt you'll be able to take him. Of course later on that guy will kill me in the parking lot…"

"All victories come with a price," Emma joked.

"Don't get mad, Emma, but I've got to ask one last time…Are you sure? About Friday, I mean."

"I know you still don't think it's a good idea, but it is. It's going to be great. You'll see. But whatever happens, I'm glad you're going to be there with me."

JT smiled for her benefit, but he still had major doubts about their upcoming trip.

"I'm sure you're right, Emma," he said, trying to sound positive. "After all, what could go wrong?"


	31. Two Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to **luvdegrassi12345**, **PsYcHoJo**, **Degrassidreamer**, **cutiepye06655**, **Kristine**, **Agel15**, **citysoundtrack** & **almost-never** for the great feedback.

Chapter 31 -- Two Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Late Friday morning, JT and Emma arrived at the sanitarium in Stouffville.

"Here we are," JT said, parking the car. "Nervous?"

"Anxious," Emma replied. "But not nervous. You?"

"Well, they say a person never forgets his first time. I know they didn't mean 'first time in a mental institution' but I think it still fits. Not nervous, though."

"Good, because this is going to be nice."

"Emma, you think we'll hear a lot of people talking to themselves as we wander through the halls?"

"What do you care, JT? You talk to your Rice Krispies."

"Yeah, well that's different. Snap and Krackle are quite the conversationalists. Though Pop? Not so much."

They got out of the vehicle. Emma carried a sack in one hand.

"Think he'll like it?" Emma asked, holding up the sack.

"Since this is my first time to meet him, I think it's safe to say that you know him better than I do."

"Knitting has always had this calming effect on him."

"Then I'm sure he'll enjoy working with this new material you got for him."

"Maybe he'll make himself another blanket. Or a scarf."

"I gotta say, the building looks a lot fancier than I imagined," JT commented.

"I told you it was a nice enough place."

"True, but I still had this picture of it being this dark, run-down old manor where it rained all the time, but only over this one building, while the sun shined everywhere else."

"Now you know," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "They even have electricity and indoor plumbing, so rest easy."

"I knew they'd have electricity. Gotta be able to do electric shock treatment."

"Let's go already."

"Wait," JT said, reaching out and taking Emma's free hand. "You DO get why I haven't exactly been thrilled about coming here, right?"

"Aside from your uneasiness with the whole 'being inside a mental institution' thing? Yes, I get it. You're concerned about me and how upsetting these visits can be."

"Good. That said, I still should have come along the last two years when you invited me. Sorry I didn't. You shouldn't have had to come here on your own."

"It's okay, JT. You're here with me now, and that's what's important."

JT kissed the hand that he was already holding.

"I'm ready when you are, Emma."

"Then let's go."

They walked through the parking area and eventually made their way to the front door.

"Of course, it's still possible that there are a bunch of secret passageways and underground torture rooms hidden around here."

"That's enough of that," Emma said, trying not to laugh.

The couple went inside and walked over to the front desk.

"We're here to see Shane McKay," Emma told the woman standing behind the desk. "I'm his daughter, Emma Nelson. We're expected this morning."

"Oh, that's right," the woman said. She then walked out from behind the work area. "Miss Nelson, I'm Janet Pierson, one of the administrators. Could you come back to my office with me?"

"Certainly," Emma replied.

JT and Emma started to follow the woman.

"Actually, I think it would be better if I spoke with you in private, Miss Nelson."

"Hey!" JT complained.

"It's all right, JT. I'm sure she just wants to give me a quick update on Shane's condition before we see him. Probably also needs to check this bag, too, before I can give it to him."

"But Emma…"

"It'll be okay. I'll be right back." Emma then smiled and gave JT's hand a light squeeze before letting go. "Just wait around here and try to stay out of trouble." She winked at him and then followed Ms. Pierson into one of the hallways and the pair was soon out of sight.

"Just be careful, Emma," JT called out even though Emma was by now out of earshot. "If the woman pulls out a big net, yell and I'll come get you. Sheesh! So much for the buddy system."

As JT had been saying this, an older man wearing a white coat was walking through the lobby, having come from the opposite side of the building. He stopped to notice JT talking even though nobody else was with him.

"Excuse me, young man. Are you all right?"

JT turned around and faced the man.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"No reason. My name's Dr. Williamson."

"What's up, Doc? Ha! Sorry, I couldn't resist. I bet people use that line on you all the time."

"No. Actually, you would be the first."

"Oh," JT said, starting to feel slightly embarrassed.

"I heard you mention something about nets and a buddy system a moment ago. Who were you talking to?"

"Oh, I was just talking to Emma."

"Emma?" Williamson asked, noticing nobody else around them that JT could have been speaking to. "And who is Emma?"

"My girlfriend. We're just here visiting."

"I see. That's nice."

"I wasn't really sure about coming here. No offense. But then Emma convinced me that it would be a good thing to do. So here we are."

"Yes…Well, it's good that you listen to your…ahem…friend. How long has this…Emma…been a part of your life?"

"Practically my whole life. Wherever one of us goes, it seems like the other is never too far behind."

"That's very interesting. And this buddy system?"

"It might sound crazy…"

"Not around here. Don't be afraid to tell me, Mr…"

"Yorke."

"Do continue, Mr. Yorke."

"Well, I just thought Emma and I ought to stick close together for as long as we're in here. Better to be safe than sorry. Right?"

"I understand perfectly, Mr. Yorke."

The doctor then turned from looking at JT to the emptiness right beside JT.

"We're happy to have you here, Emma. Please make sure that Mr. Yorke knows there's nothing to be nervous about. We're all friends here."

"Huh?" JT asked looking confused.

"Don't feel embarrassed, Mr. Yorke. It's not uncommon for people to retain their childhood imaginary friends if they're feeling particularly stressed or insecure."

"What?! Emma's not imaginary, Doc. She's real. Very real."

"I'm sure it must seem that way. But you can be honest with me. Emma's not REALLY here with you, is she."

"Sure, not right now."

"That's so good to hear you say."

"But just a minute ago, she was right here next to me. She'll be back soon."

"Uh-uh. No backsliding. But still, you're making remarkable progress. At least you've stopped talking to thin air as though there was someone here with you."

"Oh! Is that what…? Believe me, Doc, there's a good explanation. You see, Emma had already gone off to one of the offices. I was only calling out to her. Then I just started thinking out loud."

"It's okay, Mr. Yorke. Rome wasn't built in a day, so it's hardly likely that you'll be able to give up this lifelong imaginary girlfriend after just a few moments with me."

"No, you don't understand. There really is an Emma. She'll be back any minute."

"This is all very good. Part of you knows she's a figment of your imagination and in order to remove this fantasy, you're making yourself believe she's left for a nearby location where she can't hear you. But another part of you is scared and still trying to hold onto this fictional creation, and thus your insistence that she will return at any moment."

"You're not making any sense. Look, Emma is a real person."

"One that you were speaking with even though she was nowhere in sight?"

"Okay, so it doesn't sound so good when you put it like that, but I'm telling you…"

"You know, I was going to do some reading for the next hour, but it's nothing urgent. Why don't we go into my office and get to know one another better. Perhaps set up some regular sessions. By the way, which room are you assigned to?"

"Wait a minute, Doc! I don't belong here."

"I know. Most of our patients don't belong here, but the stresses of day-to-day life have taken their toll. It's our job to see that you become psychologically and emotionally fit so that you can return to where you truly belong – the outside world. I AM surprised the nurses let you wander off from your room like this."

Williamson put his arm around JT's shoulders and started to walk toward a hallway leading to some offices.

"Get away from me," JT demanded, getting out of the older man's grasp.

"Be nice, Mr. Yorke. I wouldn't want to have to get some guards to escort you to my office. If it will help you, tell yourself that Emma will be there with you. Now let's move along."

"Mr. Williamson!" a voice suddenly called out from behind. They turned around to see a woman walking toward them.

"Ah, hello, Nurse Taylor," Williamson greeted. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Mr. Williamson, what are you doing out of your room?"

"That's DOCTOR Williamson, Nurse. And I was just escorting this young man to my office for a therapy session. The poor guy has an invisible girlfriend."

"Mr. Williamson, stop bothering that man. What have we told you about pretending to be a doctor?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Williamson then turned back toward JT and stared at his shirt.

"Oooh, buttons!" he said excitedly, pointing at JT's shirt. "Pretty."

The nurse took Williamson by the arm.

"Sorry if he bothered you, sir. I don't know how he got this far away from his room without anyone noticing. One moment he thinks he's a doctor; then, when someone reminds him that he isn't, he suddenly reverts to childhood. How he found the white coat is anyone's guess."

"It's…okay. I guess." JT was still confused over what happened, but relieved to have the crazy man away from him.

"Now come along, Mr. Williamson," the nurse said. "Let's try to find you some buttons."

The nurse then led Williamson away.

"I knew something would happen," JT said once he was alone. "These places are crazy. Okay, I guess that's the way they're supposed to be, but still…And now here I am talking to myself. Someone really will put me away if I'm not careful. Wait, if I'm having this much trouble, I can only imagine what's happening to Emma right now. I bet that Pierson woman is a fraud, too. She's probably not an administrator. For all I know, she's not even a woman. Yeah, I'd better go start checking all the rooms and see if I can find where she's taken Emma. Time for a rescue."

Before JT could go anywhere, he saw Emma coming back into the main lobby area, and she wasn't looking happy.

"Emma, I'm glad you're back. I was just getting ready to…"

"We're leaving," she said as she continued walking toward the door.

"But I thought…"

"Now!" she shouted while exiting the building.

Puzzled, JT followed her out the door. He saw Emma drop her bag of material into a trashcan and continue walking. JT picked the bag up out of the trash and went after her.

"Emma," JT began once he caught up to her, "what's going on?"

"We never should have come here, JT. It was a mistake. A big, stupid mistake. What is wrong with you? Why do you let me talk you into things? You knew this wasn't a good idea."

JT said nothing but just looked at her as she paced a small stretch of sidewalk in front of the building.

"Don't worry, JT. We're not going to see him. I spoke with Ms. Pierson and one of his doctors. He can't have visitors today. And I don't think we should come back here again. Too bad they didn't think to bother to call me this morning so we wouldn't have wasted a trip.

"Shane…almost killed a nurse this morning. That's right. The woman came in to check on him and something set him off and he charged at her with one of his knitting needles. He's slow enough that he didn't even come close to reaching her, and in a few moments some guards came and put him in restraints and gave him something to make him sleep. From now on they're going to have to up the dosage of medication they give him.

"Ms. Pierson said he gets agitated sometimes, which isn't anything I didn't already know, but something must have really got to him today. Not that anyone will ever figure it out because it's probably something that only makes sense in his head. But to think he tried to use as a weapon something that normally helps keep him calm. Can you believe it?

"I don't know why I'm not laughing. We should both be laughing, JT. A crazy man in a crazy house suddenly runs toward a nurse with a knitting needle ready to stab her, but he's too messed-up to have the speed, strength and coordination to hit his target. Put this scene on black-and-white film, set it to music and show it on a screen along with some other slapstick comedy and we'd have a good double-bill for a Saturday afternoon. We'd laugh our heads off at the outrageous display, and don't tell me we wouldn't."

Emma stopped pacing and looked at JT.

"Why can't he just control his emotions, JT? Why does he have to…If he had waited just another couple of hours until we got here…he would have seen us…would have been okay."

JT dropped the bag on the ground and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's not fair, JT," Emma continued as tears started to form in her eyes, the side of her head now resting up against him.

"You weren't wrong the other day, JT. I always hope he'll see me and at least get a little better, if not recover. I know it can't happen, but I still hope for it. And today…it's so dumb, maybe I'm the one that belongs in there…today, I thought I could just walk on in there and Shane would see and know for himself that I'm doing great. That I'm healthy. That I'm going to graduate in a few months. That I've got this guy…this funny, unpredictable, sweet guy beside me who is my rock.

"So Shane would see that he wouldn't have to worry about me and could feel free to get all better. Because I'm doing okay, he wouldn't have to stress or feel obligated. He'd see me and know that he could be a part of my life without worrying that he had to be a father. And knowing that, he could will himself to be okay again. If he had just waited until we got here, he wouldn't have to keep going around with his system full of drugs, sleeping big chunks of his life away in that horrible place.

"He's not a dad to me, but still…he shouldn't have to be here. But this is it for him. This is his life. I've always known, but I never WANTED to know. If that makes any sense. He's always going to be like he is. Maybe even get worse. I don't think he's even aware of what he's doing most of the time because if he were, he wouldn't have tried to hurt that woman. His life…if you can even call it living…there's no place for me in all of that. It's not fair, JT. It's not."

As JT continued to hug her, she held on tight to him.

"I got the bag for you," JT finally spoke after several moments where neither talked and after Emma's crying died down. "You know, the bag you must have accidentally thrown away. We'll need it when we try this visit again in a few weeks."

"But JT, I said…"

"Sure, they probably won't be giving him back his knitting needles anytime soon, but maybe he'd like to have the material with him in his room. A reminder of you and a sign of hope that he'll get to work with it someday."

JT kissed the top of Emma's head and then backed away from her slightly.

"Or, like you say, he might keep getting worse. But even if he's in no condition to see you, you need to see him. Like you told me, he's not really a dad, but he's a part of you. Don't give up on that. If it gets too much to deal with, just put it on me."

"Thank you," Emma said softly before grabbing JT and pulling him forward into another hug.

"Besides, there are still things I didn't get to do in there."

"Like what?" Emma said, starting to smile.

"Well, I wanted to wander through the offices and see how many people have a sign or mug on their desk that says 'You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps.'"

"I see."

"Oh, and then I wanted to ask one of the doctors a medical question. If a person with multiple personalities threatens suicide, is that considered a hostage situation?"

Emma laughed.

"You're laughing. I like the sound of that. So, what do you want to do now, Emma? We still have most of the day."

"I don't want to go back to the city yet. How about lunch?"

"We can do that. When we got into town I saw this soup and salad place that looked like the kind of restaurant you'd love."

"I'd like that. And maybe after that, we could just drive around for awhile? We can go back home later."

"Sounds like a plan."

"But first, let's just stay here for a few more minutes. I need you not to let go of me for awhile."

"Deal," JT responded, smiling.

"By the way, sorry it took me so long in that office, JT. I hope you weren't too bored. Or nervous."

"Me? I wouldn't say that. But you know me, angel. I seem to make friends wherever I go."


	32. Bonds

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Special thanks for the recent reviews from **PsYcHoJo**, **cutiepye06655**, **Kristine**, **Agel15**, **YellyBelly**, **citysoundtrack**, **spider-man-fan** & **Dark Lady Relena**.

Chapter 32 -- Bonds

On a Sunday afternoon in mid-January, Emma sat with Manny and Liberty in a booth at Ryan's.

"Here you go," Patrick said, setting their drinks down on the table.

"Thanks," Liberty responded.

"No problem, Liberty. So…everything going okay?"

"All is well," she answered.

"Good. I'm glad. Well…I…uh…better get back to work. Talk to you later."

"Okay."

Patrick just stood there for a moment smiling at Liberty, then left the three alone.

"Looks like someone has a potential new boyfriend, Liberty," Manny commented.

"Oh?"

"Well, he was just here serving three of his friends and you were the only one he was making eye contact with. Not to mention his trouble talking and his hanging around with that goofy grin on his face."

"If you say so."

"I agree with Manny," Emma added. "And it's not like this is anything new. Lately I've noticed him checking you out in school on more than one occasion."

"So are you going to make a move or just leave him dangling?" Manny asked.

"Manny, it figures that you would have no problem encouraging someone to enter into a new relationship immediately after a previous one ended," Liberty complained. "Maybe he HAS started behaving in a slightly flirtatious manner of late, but I'm hardly ready to consider starting something new this soon."

"Come on," Manny argued. "Your relationship with Roger is long over."

"We only broke up this past Wednesday."

"See? Ages ago. Besides you did the breaking up with Roger. It's not like you were the one who got dumped, so you shouldn't have a problem going after someone new right away if you want."

"Why I've never had my head examined for engaging in conversations with you, I'll never know," Liberty replied.

"Hey!"

"Okay, you two," Emma intervened. "Can't we have one afternoon together without the two of you getting into an argument?"

"Maybe you two are right and he is interested," Liberty said, "but that doesn't mean I should follow his lead; at least not right away. I mean, I liked Roger quite a bit and part of me is sorry I ended things, but…"

"But it just wasn't a good fit," Emma finished. "Hey, no one can say you didn't give it your best shot. Besides, it was your longest relationship to date. No need to rush into anything new if you don't want."

"Thanks Emma. Now how about a change in subject matter?"

"Okay," Manny said. "New subject: How did things go last night, Emma?"

"Yes," Liberty added. "What did you and JT do to celebrate his 18th birthday?"

"Well, you know that the other day I asked him which he'd rather do for his birthday – get people together and have a party, or go out to dinner just the two of us. He chose dinner."

"Wise choice," Manny stated.

"No, I made it clear that I'd be happy doing either, and he chose dinner with no pressure on my part. So, following our afternoon at the theater, I took him out to eat."

"Where to?" Manny asked.

"Campanelli's, the Italian restaurant he took me to a few weeks after we first started going out. I couldn't afford to have them clear out a whole room just for us like JT did back then, but he didn't seem to care."

"Of course not," Liberty assured her. "Between you and the food, it's doubtful that he even noticed there was anyone else around."

"I'm sure some of the people around us would have gladly chipped in to get us our own section of the building."

"Uh-oh! You two didn't get into a food fight did you?" Manny joked.

"No, but we had our usual wide-ranging dinner conversation, which naturally included a lot of laughter. Also, I'd arranged in advance so that after dinner they would bring out a little cake. They even sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. JT pretended to act all embarrassed but he was loving every moment of it."

"Sounds great."

"Oh, it was, Manny. Then later on, we went back to his place. He put on a DVD and we sat down together on the couch, but I think I can speak for us both when I say that neither one of us could tell you anything about the movie that played."

"I'd say that evening qualifies as a great birthday," Liberty commented.

"I have to agree with Liberty," Manny said. "Good job, Em."

"He was pleased with the evening, and we had a great time. Now, how about we get to work sorting through this stack of possible scholarships to see which ones each of us should apply for."

"Think the guys are having fun?" Manny asked.

"Let's see," Emma replied. "Races, destruction, potential blazes…and the tickets are free? I think 'fun' is a safe bet."

"I still can't believe JT's become friends with that thug," Liberty said.

"Be nice, Liberty," Emma admonished.

"Anyway, I guess he's more of a former thug now," Manny added. "Liberty, you know I haven't trusted Sean any more than you have, but I was glad when friends decided to leave my own past in the past, so if JT's decided to do that with Sean, maybe it's time I eased up on the guy a little, too."

"JT likes to downplay the idea that they've started to become good friends," Emma explained, "but they are. And I think it's good for both of them. As for today, Sean's boss at the repair shop had some tickets he couldn't use, so a few days ago he gave them to Sean, and Sean asked JT and Craig if they wanted to go, too."

Meanwhile, the three young men being discussed were at Toronto's SkyDome, home of the annual Monster Jam monster truck-racing event. They were currently standing in a line at one of the concession areas.

"Nothing like watching a little carnage to work up an appetite," Craig said.

"Considering where we are, I think the correct term is 'truck-nage,' not 'car-nage,'" JT joked. "Man, I hope this line moves quicker or we could lose our seats."

"You've been dealing with the free-for-all seating of movie theaters too long, JT," Sean told him. "Our tickets are for specific seats. Nobody's going to take them while we're gone."

"Besides," Craig added, "Sean's our official 'beat the hell out of anyone who gets in our way' guy, so no worries."

"Gee, thanks," Sean replied, rolling his eyes.

"Uh, Craig, have you gotten a good look at some of the guys here?" JT asked. "A lot of them look twice as big as all three of us put together."

"Maybe a little."

"Add in the fact that I think we're probably three of the few people here who still have all their teeth and speak with a minimal amount of grunting noises, and it's best that we don't go out of our way to tick anyone off."

"You two really don't get out much beyond our own neighborhood, do you," Sean said sarcastically.

"Hey," JT protested, "I'll have you know that once I almost got locked up in a mental hospital."

"Only once?" Craig joked.

"Funny. Anyway, I'm enjoying this. It's not everyday you get to watch gigantic vehicles topple one another AND see two guys in the stands start punching each other, with security guards standing around placing bets on who'll win the fight. It's great!"

"Have you ever been to one of these before?" Craig asked Sean.

"No, this is my first. Sometimes my brother would talk about getting tickets for us, but he'd forget or he'd get too busy."

"Anyway…at least you're here now," JT said.

"Besides," Craig added, "we needed to do something this weekend, since it's not like we had a party to go to last night or anything. Imagine…A guy turns 18 and chooses a quiet night with his girlfriend? Where's the JT who was always up for a party even when there wasn't a ready made excuse?"

"Scary, isn't it?" Sean joked.

"And I'm getting this kind of grief from two people who haven't had a steady relationship with someone in…how long has it been again?"

The three laughed.

"Maybe I'll choose a party next time, guys. This birthday, I just wanted an evening alone with my girl."

"Fair enough," Craig responded.

"It's just as well," Sean said to JT. "You know Craig would have ended up inviting two or three girls to the party as his dates, there would have been a catfight, then they all would have slapped him silly before storming out."

"Nothing too out of the ordinary there, but I wouldn't have a problem with it," JT said. "Makes for great entertainment that's free of charge. Oh, as long as none of them hit him in the face with my cake. You have to draw the line somewhere."

"You guys DO know I'm still here, right?" Craig asked.

"Craig, is it true what I heard the other day?" JT asked, changing subjects. "Spinner got fired from another job?"

"That's right," Craig replied. "But it's hard to blame him too much. What department store manager in his right mind would hire him to sell women's clothes?"

"What happened"? Sean asked. "He didn't try on some of the merchandise to see how the other half lives, did he?"

"No, but rather than subtly suggesting that his overweight customer try on an outfit in a larger size, Spin told her that if she put on the smaller outfit she had picked for herself that it would take the jaws of life to get her out of it."

"I can see where that might have caused a problem," JT said, rolling his eyes. "Good line, though."

"He's still confused why that wasn't an appropriate thing to tell a customer," Craig told them.

"I've lost track of how many jobs he's had in the last year," JT commented. "If he's not careful, he's going to run out of people who don't know him who'd be willing to hire him."

By this time they had made it to the front of the line. They purchased food and drinks. As they started to leave the concession area, Craig made eye contact with a young woman several feet away. They smiled at one another.

"If you fellas will excuse me, I think I see someone whose life would be a lot happier if she knew me."

"Craig, you're the only person I know who could make a trip to a monster truck show seem like a visit to a singles bar," JT joked.

"Here," Craig said, keeping his drink but handing over his food to JT. "Hang on to this. I'll catch up to you guys a little later."

Craig walked over and started talking to the woman while JT and Sean headed back toward their seats.

"I bet he's back within five minutes," Sean told JT.

"That's kind of cynical, don't you think?" JT questioned.

"Not when you consider she was standing over near the men's room."

"I guess Craig didn't notice that little detail."

"I'm sure the guy she's here with will explain it to him when he leaves the restroom and sees the two of them talking."

"Think we should go back and advise him?" JT asked.

"He'll get out of it," Sean answered. "He always does."

"True. Oh well, he's got five minutes, then I've got dibs on his nachos. Hey, before the next demolition derby event starts, let me run something past you."

"Okay."

"Just an idea I've been kicking around in my head. And if you've ever kicked an idea around in your head, you know what a headache that can be."

Sean laughed.

"It's about me. And Emma. Me and Emma. Or should that be Emma and me?"

"Never mind that, JT. What's on your mind?"

Back at Ryan's, the women were sorting through stacks of papers.

"Here's a scholarship being offered to a student who's shown academic excellence in high school," Manny said.

"Here's one for a student with extreme financial hardships in the family," Liberty mentioned.

"Okay, check these out," Emma said while looking over several papers at once. "This is one being offered to a student with at least one deceased parent or guardian. The next one is for a student with two deceased parents or guardians. And this one is for a student with improved grades as the result of at least one parent or guardian existing in a coma for at least four months. I'm telling you these scholarship opportunities get weirder every year."

"Then there are all those scholarships offered by the university rather than specific organizations or businesses," Liberty said.

"Hey, I know we're all staying in town to go to school, but are either of you planning to live on campus?" Manny asked.

"Absolutely," Liberty answered. "I want the full college experience. What about you, Manny?"

"It would be fun, but as it is, I'm practically on my own just living at home. My folks pretty much gave up trying to control me a few years ago. And after the pregnancy last year, I'm a lost cause as far as their uptight values are concerned. That car they got me? That was an 'I'm sorry you miscarried but I'm glad you're not a mother, which makes me feel guilty, so have a car to ease my guilt and I'll leave you alone' gift. So I think I'll stick with the free room and board of home for now. What about you, Em?"

"I'll live at home, too. Helps to save money whenever possible."

"True," Liberty agreed.

"Besides, I'm sure it will be a lot like now, where I spend a lot of time over at JT's. Of course, he'll have to find an apartment sometime this summer."

"Hey, you two could always live together," Manny suggested.

"Manny, I haven't played 'House' since I was a little girl, and I'm not going to start again now."

"Then how about a trip down the aisle?" Liberty asked with a grin on her face.

"Don't start that up again, Liberty. Anyway, I'm busy enough at the moment just getting JT to not groan when the subject of college comes up."

"He's not as enthused about going on to university as we are, Emma?" Liberty asked.

"Well, he's had a lot going on. Then there's his work. He's probably concerned about how to adjust his part-time hours so they'll fit a college student's schedule. And I think there might be a small part of him that believes he's not smart enough for university life."

"That's crazy," Manny said.

"I'm not worried," Emma responded. "Sometimes JT just needs an encouraging push toward the direction he knows deep down he should go. He doesn't really have to start getting stuff together this early, especially since he's not applying for scholarships, but I'm starting to give out occasional less-than-subtle hints about applications and forms and getting necessary recommendation letters. This way he'll know what he needs to do and won't wait until the last minute. After all, it's never too soon, right?"

At the stadium, JT finished explaining his idea to Sean.

"So what do you think, Sean? Does it sound crazy?"

"I don't think it's crazy. It's probably the best way to go."

"I mean, I know it's not the most common thing to ask and she won't be expecting it, but then again we're not exactly a typical couple. At least I hope we aren't, because that would just be boring."

"I don't think you have to worry about being boring, JT."

"If she says 'No,' it won't be the end of the world, but it's something that entered my head awhile back. Then, after our trip to Stouffville a few weeks ago, I think we're even closer than ever – if that's possible. It just seemed like a really good idea. But of course I needed to wait until I turned 18 to do anything about it."

"Yeah, but what about her? She's still got a few months to go until she turns 18. Would it be legal to do this now, or would you have to wait until after her birthday?"

"I'm told there won't be a problem."

"When are you going to talk to her about it?"

"Soon. I have to wait for the right time. It's not something that works into just any kind of conversation."

"Yeah. But hey, at least it will be a break from all the college talk."

"Tell me about it. Since the new year began, college seems to be one of her favorite topics. I know she's all excited, and I like it when she's like that. But I don't really want to think about it just yet. Not when there's still months to go before all those forms would need to be filled out."

"Are you planning to apply?"

"Probably," JT replied. "Maybe. I don't know. The thought of four more years of classes and textbooks…not really at the top of my Want List. Then again, someone needs to be there to keep Emma from getting too bored. I hear that those professors can lecture for hours and hours at a time. And they even expect you to remember it all."

"Brutal."

Moments later, Craig appeared and took his seat beside the other two.

"The next part's about to begin," JT told him. "You're back just in time."

"If you're back this soon, you must have struck out," Sean said.

"No," Craig responded. "I wouldn't exactly call it striking out. More like I made a speedy exit."

"Ah, so she DID have a guy she was waiting on and you had to get away from there," JT guessed.

"In a way. It was her cousin she was waiting on."

"An over-protective family member. That can be even worse than another boyfriend."

"Right, Sean. But not as bad as a guy who's both."

"Both?!" Sean and JT asked, in unison.

"It seems, they're close cousins, her and him. Very close. The kind of cousins who didn't seem to mind exchanging tongues right there in front of me. Reminded me of that 'Hillbillies From Hell' horror movie that was on the late show on TV a month or so ago."

Sean turned toward JT.

"Don't look at me," JT said to Sean. "I didn't recommend that one to him. With films, there's good crazy and CRAZY crazy."

"Anyway, I got out of there when they both started flirting with me."

"Wise decision," JT told Craig. "See what happens when you try to hit on every woman you meet? Just be glad you got out of that situation. Next time, you could end up with three midget female acrobats with a mean streak who aren't as likely to take 'No' for an answer."

"So what did I miss?" Craig asked.

"Nothing so far," Sean answered. "JT's been busy trying to get his future organized."

"Yeah, the monster truck show is the ideal place to do something like that," Craig said sarcastically. "Hey, what happened to my nachos?"

JT put down the empty container he'd been eating from which had held the nachos.

"Oh…well, I didn't know when – or if – you'd be back. And I knew you wouldn't want to eat cold nachos. So I did you a favor and ate them while they were still hot. After all, what are friends for?"

"Thanks," Craig said, rolling his eyes.

"Keep it down, you two," Sean told them. "It's starting, and I want to hear the crashes loud and clear."


	33. Future Tense

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to **luvdegrassi12345**, **PsYcHoJo**, **Kristine**, **Agel15**, **YellyBelly **& **cutiepye06655 **for the comments regarding the previous chapter.

**Chapter 33 -- Future Tense**

The following Wednesday was the day that Simpson and Spike had decided would be a good time to go out alone for the evening with the help of JT's Christmas gift certificate and his offer that he and Emma would look after Jack. That night, at the Nelson/Simpson home, Emma was sitting on the couch reading a university course guide as JT came down the stairs.

"Hey"

"Hey JT," Emma said, looking up from the book. "You and Jack have fun up there?"

"Yeah," JT replied, sitting down beside Emma. "I spun him around in circles over and over, faster and faster, until we both got so dizzy we passed out for awhile. It was great."

Emma's eyes widened in shock.

"Kidding."

"I should hope so," Emma said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Of course I was. In truth, it didn't effect Jack at all. I was the only one who passed out."

Emma rolled her eyes and playfully smacked JT in the arm, causing JT to laugh.

"No, I tried reading to him, but the children's books you guys keep up in his room are so boring and predictable. So I told him some real stories."

"I suppose creatures and witches and goblins were involved?"

"No, I didn't mention anything about the customers over at the theater."

Emma laughed.

"Movie plots?" Emma asked.

"You got it," JT replied. "Never too early to get him familiar with some of the better films and movie concepts."

"Did you do any voices?"

"Naturally."

"Good. He likes it when you start doing funny voices."

"As long as he doesn't get the idea that my normal voice is just as strange."

"No promises," Emma kidded him.

"Funny."

"You are so good with Jack, JT. When you start to joke around or tell him a story, he's fixated on you. We're talking undivided attention."

"That's nothing. I've also got this thing where when I whistle, it's a sound that only dogs can hear."

"I'm serious."

"Yeah, well I happen to like the little guy, too, Emma. Closest I've come to having a little brother. All things considered, I guess it's a good thing my folks didn't have any other kids."

"You're really good with them. Kids. At least based on how you are with Jack."

"Anyway…"

"No, I mean it, JT. You don't talk down to him, and he's really going to appreciate that once he gets a little older and can start having real conversations. And you have that natural protective instinct when it comes to the people you care about."

"Okay."

"JT, I think that you're going to make a terrific father someday."

"But I'm not even Catholic."

"Not a Father father, silly. A dad."

"Ah. Been lurking around that time machine that this house's previous owners left in your basement bedroom again, haven't you."

"Of course fatherhood is still a long way away."

"Good to know you haven't mapped out my complete future, Emma."

"Not yet," Emma joked. "No. I mean, for right now you've got enough to consider. Like take a look at this."

Emma handed JT the course book she had been browsing.

"Nice," JT said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Just a guide summarizing all the possible courses to choose from at the university."

"I think it's time I called and ordered our pizza."

"No, not yet. Don't get up. You don't have to worry. I'm not trying to be pushy."

"Yes you are," JT smiled.

"Okay, yes I am," Emma laughed. "Big time pushy. But it's for a good cause. Look I know you don't have to start filling out the application right away, but I started reading through here and there are a lot of great courses, including many that you'd enjoy."

"Let's take a look," JT responded.

He closed his eyes, opened the book to a random page and pointed. He then opened his eyes to see what he selected.

"Advanced geophysics. You're right, Emma. Lots of fun stuff in here. I can't even spell 'geophysics'. I'm lucky I can even spell 'advanced.'"

"Stop selling yourself short, JT. And don't think that a random page selection that put you in the advanced course section proves anything. Once you get done with some of the basic courses that everyone has to take, I'm sure you'd enjoy the film studies classes. Maybe the creative writing courses."

"Creative writing? Me?"

"Why not? You've always got a lot of ideas. If you don't like that, there are plenty of business courses. You certainly have practical experience in that area so it wouldn't be difficult, plus you'd get even more ideas for if you decide to run your own place one day."

"I'm giddy with excitement," JT said in a bored-sounding monotone voice.

JT then started to hand back the book, but Emma shook her head.

"No, that's yours to keep," she told him. "I've got my own copy downstairs. I picked this one up so you could have it to look through when you're ready."

"You've thought of everything," he said sarcastically.

"All part of the job," Emma joked. "It's up to a good girlfriend to make sure her guy doesn't overlook great opportunities."

"I'm starting to think you won't need to waste the time going to university. You'd have no trouble getting work as a college recruiter."

"We're going to have fun, JT. You'll see."

"Yeah, there's all those boring lectures to look forward to," JT said.

"New things to learn," Emma countered.

"Professors talking on and on until you're about to fall into a coma," JT offered.

"Teaching assistants helping to create a relaxed classroom atmosphere," Emma responded.

"Five-pound textbooks to haul around campus."

"The pursuit of the unknown."

"Term papers at least twice as long as anything we've had to write at Degrassi."

"The chance to improve our writing skills."

"College isn't for everyone, Emma."

"Ashley told me that they have a nice little environmental club. She said I'll fit right in."

"In fact, I'm not all that sure that I…"

"Oh, we're going to have a great time there, JT."

JT sighed.

"Anyway," he said, "just so you know, Emma, it's not like I don't think about the future."

"I know."

"Because I do. In fact, it's been on my mind a lot lately."

"That's understandable. Birthdays will do that to a person."

"Yeah. Listen, there's something I want to talk to you about. To ask you about."

"I've told you before, JT…I don't know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop."

"I think the world may never know. But no, this isn't about that. This is serious, what I have to ask you."

"Okay."

"And I figure this is as good a time as any."

"Is something wrong, JT?"

"No," he replied, grabbing hold of her hand. "It's a good thing. I think."

"Good."

"Then again, it depends on how you take it. But I've thought about it and I don't see any harm asking. On the other hand…"

"JT!" Emma interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"You're starting to talk like me when I get all nervous."

"Who? Me? I'm not nervous."

"Then just tell me, JT. What is it you want to ask?"

"Emma," he began, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Will you…Would you…What was that word?…Oh yeah. Emma, would you mind if I named you as my beneficiary?"

"Beneficiary?"

"That is, if you don't mind."

"I don't understand."

"You know, the person you list in your will that you want to give something or somethings to. And in this case you'd be what they call my sole beneficiary. The one who'd get everything."

"I understand what the word means, JT. What I don't understand is why you'd even be thinking about making a will and…Oh God. Tell me you're not sick."

A look of panic came over Emma's face.

"Emma…"

"First Archie almost died and now…JT, tell me you're not going to die!"

"I'm not going to die, Emma," JT said calmly, giving her a brief hug. "At least I'm not planning on it any time soon."

"You're sure?"

"I was afraid you'd react this way."

"How do you expect me to react? What is all this about?"

"Emma, people don't just make wills because they're dying."

"And people who are 18 years old don't make out wills at all."

"They do if there are good reasons."

"Such as…?"

"Such as…well, look at Shane. Thank goodness he's alive and didn't die way back when he had that accident that put him in the institution. But if he HAD died, would things be any different as far as how much control he has over his life? His parents would still have complete control over anything he would have left behind. Even if there was something he specifically wanted you to have, without it written down all nice and legal before his death there's no way they would have followed through on it even if they knew his wishes."

"Okay, I see your point, but…"

"Then there's Nathaniel Yorke."

"JT, he hasn't been trying to contact you, has he? If he's bothering you, I'll…"

"Easy there, killer," JT said, smiling at her protective attitude. "No, I haven't been in touch with him since that night at Ryan's a couple months ago."

"Good," Emma said, relieved.

"When I got the check in the mail for my half of the sale of Mother's company, there was just the check in the envelope. No note asking about me. The envelope had his firm's name and logo on it. I doubt he even mailed the letter himself. Probably had one of his assistants take care of the whole matter. And that's exactly the way I want it between him and me. But if anything were to ever happen to me…"

"What could possibly happen?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'd get run over by a pack of gorillas that escaped from the zoo and came charging down Degrassi Street. They could run me down, and if I happened to be wearing a yellow shirt that day they might mistake me for a banana and start gnawing my flesh off."

"Quit trying to make me laugh. Not right now."

"But I see a tiny smile trying to sneak its way onto you face, Emma."

"JT…"

"Hey, it's an unpredictable world, Emma. One minute you're strolling down the street, the next minute you're being savaged by overgrown monkeys. Or… you wake up one day and your mother is dead, your father is worse than slime – he's the slime that grows on slime. And you know that the person you care about more than anyone or anything else ought to be the one who gets to…Emma, if anything ever happened to me…"

"It won't."

"I know. I'm just saying, if anything ever did…with the way things are right now, the slime would be able to have it all – what I already had in my accounts, what I've inherited, even the movie poster that's hanging on the wall. I'm 18 now. Since he wanted no part of my life, I don't want him to have any legal right to a payday if I were to…you know."

"I know."

"It's a new year, and now that I'm no longer a minor, I want to make sure that I'm in complete control of my own destiny. He doesn't get to have the things I would leave behind. Or even a say in it. He doesn't get to have that kind of control. No way. I've cut ties with him and I'm not about to let him bulldoze his way in again if something were ever to happen to me.

"I checked with my mother's attorneys – you see, she used her own lawyers and they have no connection with that guy in any way. So I talked to them and you don't have to be 18 for me to list you, but I didn't want to do that until I gave you a head's up. To make sure you wouldn't mind."

"I don't mind, JT. I'm flattered. More than flattered. But I hope we don't have to talk about it anymore. It's a horrible thought, death. And not being here."

"Besides, it's just for now, since while I'm still single, that guy is my next of kin. And one day, it won't even be an issue. You know, once I'm a married man."

"Do tell…"

"When that happens, the person I'm married to becomes next of kin and the slime guy has no legal standing."

"Legal standing? I see you learned some legal terminology at the law office."

"Nah, I got that from reruns of old TV courtroom dramas. Or maybe it was that old short where the Stooges were called to testify in court and…"

"Okay," Emma smiled. "I get the idea. But what's with this 'the person I'm married to' stuff? What? You don't have anyone specific in mind?"

"Hey, I already told you once before that I'd be carrying you over a threshold one day. I've never broken any promises to you, have I?"

"No."

"Okay then. Just think of it as something else that's waiting for us sometime in the future when we want it to happen. Look, I know it's strange to be thinking about wills and beneficiaries and stuff like that."

"No, I get it. I definitely understand how you wouldn't want that guy having legal rights to what you would leave behind."

"That, and wanting you to be the one to have what's mine. You SHOULD be the one to have it. I mean, I love you and, well…you know what I think about you."

"'With all of my heart. Always,'" Emma said, repeating the words he wrote to her at Christmas.

"Yeah. And I know what's in your head about me. Not to mention I have the letter…that great letter you wrote that I've reread more times than I should probably admit to out loud. You…my best friend, my girlfriend, and whatever else we are to one another in the future. If you ask me, I'm betting that we'll still be having fun together when we're becoming a burden to our great-grandchildren."

"You know, most guys would just give their girlfriend a promise ring. You, however, base a will around me."

"Since when do I do things like everybody else?"

"True. Oh, since you said you weren't required to ask my permission to list me as a beneficiary, I assume I don't need to sign anything."

"Right. Just go see her attorney – well, I guess it's MY attorney now – and let him draw a pint of your blood to show your sincerity and…"

"Very funny."

"I thought so. No, you don't have to do anything. Say, now that you're going to be listed in my will, I hope that doesn't mean you're going to try to kill me or anything. Do I need to hire a food taster to make sure you don't poison me?"

"Considering what happens anytime I try to cook, I'd want a food taster before I ate anything that I prepared."

They both laughed.

"I think you might be overreacting a little," Emma told him. "But I suppose you're right about wanting to stay prepared, considering your assets. That man IS the type who'd swoop down like a vulture and collect anything he thought he was entitled to. As long as YOU know that those things have never interested me."

"Always known that, Emma."

"Good. Now no more gloom and doom talk."

"Deal. But no more college talk tonight either."

"Okay, but we're not done with that topic, JT. By the time you absolutely have to send your application and other forms in, I'll have you as excited about university life as I am."

"I see," JT replied, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, are you ready for me to put in the order?"

"Almost." Emma then kissed him for several moments. "Okay. Now I'm ready."

"So that was a pizza with sausage and extra pepperoni?" JT asked, smirking.

"Just try it," Emma replied, pretending to look mad.

JT went to use the phone, leaving Emma sitting on the couch.

'He sure knows how to scare a girl,' Emma thought. 'But he's right to want to take precautions. And like he said, it's a necessary measure to have in place while he's a single adult and Nathaniel is his next of kin. It's a strange thing, though. As creepy as it is to think about being in someone's will, the person has to really care about you to put you in it. Not that I didn't already know how much he cares.

'In fact, there was a moment – when he started to make the request, when he was getting so nervous and talking about wanting to ask me something – where I thought he was actually going to propose. I've obviously been listening to Liberty and Manny way too much. After all, I'm not quite 18 yet, and we both have a few remaining months before we graduate. And then there's college. Still, despite all my logic and sound reasoning and protests to Liberty, if he HAD asked me that question – THE question – I honestly don't think I would have turned him down. As crazy as it sounds, I think I would have said yes.

'Anyway, there's plenty of time for that sort of thing later on down the road. For now, it looks like I've got my work cut out for me getting JT into the proper frame of mind about university. What am I saying? It'll be a piece of cake.'


	34. Decisions

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks to **PsYcHoJo**, **sweet/sour**, **Dark Spell**, **Eppie Thenardier**, **YellyBelly**, **Kristine**, **spider-man-fan** and **Rehkopf** for the recent feedback.

To sweet/sour – No, so far they haven't had sex, but they've discussed the issue. See Chapter 16. (Also for some reason, this system kept deleting the "and" symbol when I typed your screenname, so I used "/" instead.)

To Eppie Thenardier – If you reached Chapter 30, you've learned the reason why Emma started eating chicken.

To Rehkopf – I don't know if I'd make a good book author, but I appreciate the vote of confidence.

Chapter 34 - Decisions

On a Friday in early February, the bell rang at DCS signaling the end of another class period.

"Okay guys, have a good weekend," Simpson told his M.I. students. "Oh, by the way, be sure to check your classroom e-mail accounts. You've each got two projects to start this weekend which are due on Monday. Don't worry. Combined, they only count for 80 percent of your overall grade and will determine whether or not you graduate. But no pressure."

That statement resulted in audible gasps and mumbled complaints. After a moment, Simpson smiled.

"Kidding. Just have the next chapter read by Monday. You Grade 12s get so tense this time of year. You make it too easy."

Groans and sighs of relief were then heard as students departed either to go to lunch or to their next class.

"Your dad loves to torture us," JT said to Emma.

"You're just now figuring that out?" Emma joked.

"I'll meet you in the caf in a few minutes, Emma. I've got to go over the theater ad copy with Liberty since she'll be working on the next issue's layout this weekend."

"No problem," she replied. "Want me to get you something while I'm in line, to save you time?"

"Sure. Surprise me. Just nothing too healthy."

"I guarantee nothing."

JT laughed then left the room and went to his locker to get the advertising. Once he got there, he noticed something new. Taped to his locker was a university bumper sticker.

'Subtlety, thy name is NOT Emma Nelson,' JT thought. 'At least she only taped it on here instead of sticking it directly on the locker. That would have been a pain to peel off.'

He removed the sticker and tossed it inside his locker then removed the file folder he needed. After shutting the locker, he made his way toward the room that served as The Grapevine's base of operations. JT opened the door and found Liberty seated in front of a computer reading from the screen.

"Had a feeling you'd come straight here after class, Liberty. Ever heard of taking a break? This IS the hour set aside for that grand old tradition known as Lunch."

"…Said the person who's here on movie theater business. Surely you're not saying that I'm the only one not taking a break."

"Okay, okay. Point taken. Here's the ad and the check."

He handed the folder over to Liberty.

"Thanks."

She placed the check inside a desk drawer and then examined the ad design.

"Everything looks standard," she commented. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"You should see the ad going into the local paper next week. It's going to be so small that readers will need to have a magnifying glass on hand when they're reading."

"Uh-oh. Did they raise their advertising rates again?"

"No," JT replied. "More like we don't have enough in the budget right now to buy the usual space AND keep everyone on our staff paid. At least we can still afford something decent in The Grapevine as well as in the university newspaper."

"Losing customers?"

"No, just not gaining any extra. Well, not enough to make a difference financially. That means we keep on getting by, but we never seem to get ahead. I'm telling you, if we kept our petty cash in a piggy bank, the pig would have run to the nearest oven, committed suicide and we'd be selling bacon to the customers instead of popcorn."

"It would be a shame if the place closed."

"Sal's owned that theater for years. He probably wants to be buried in the storeroom when he dies. It's not going anywhere. By the way, did you know anything about that little surprise that was waiting on my locker?"

"Surprise?"

"Emma left a university bumper sticker taped to my locker."

Liberty laughed.

"No, JT. I hadn't seen it. What? You didn't appreciate it?"

"I'm sticking with the whole 'It's the thought that counts' idea."

"She's just looking out for your best interests."

"I know. At least it will give me a chance to bug her. I think I'll give her my best Raditch impersonation and complain about her placing unauthorized propaganda on school property."

"Cruel."

"Hey, don't they say you have to be cruel to be kind?" he smirked. "I'll leave you to your editing."

"JT, wait a moment. I want to ask you something."

Meanwhile in the lunchroom, Emma and Courtney sat down at a table. Courtney had gotten a sandwich while Emma had purchased a salad for herself and a sandwich and apple for JT.

"Where's Manny?" Courtney asked.

"The library," Emma replied.

"I didn't know she even realized the school had a library," Courtney joked. "She DOES know that a library is where they store all the books, right?"

"She needed one more source for a research paper."

"I see. And JT?"

"With Liberty. He'll be along in a few minutes."

"So he's not simply hiding out from his overly eager collegian-to-be."

"Very funny," Emma responded. "But I think I HAVE been pressing him a bit much lately."

"I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you right. Was Emma Nelson just admitting to going overboard about something?"

"I'm always willing to admit my mistakes. Luckily I make so few that the issue doesn't come up very often."

In response, Courtney pretends to choke on her sandwich.

"I'll ignore that, Courtney. No, I'm not wrong about encouraging JT, but maybe I shouldn't have gone so far as to use props, like the sticker on his locker."

"As long as you didn't put one on his actual car bumper, I think he'll let it slide."

"It's just that in his own way JT's very smart, and I don't want him to pass up any opportunities."

"And…?" Courtney asked, knowing there had to be more to it.

"And…it's not like he's got a family around to give him any kind of encouragement about furthering his education."

"And…?"

"And…I like the idea of us doing this together."

"Ah-ha!"

"There's no 'Ah-ha,' Courtney. That's not the main reason and you know it. But I suppose it's ONE reason. It's not even about spending all our time together. We don't spend all our time together now, since we're both busy people and I'm not one of those clingy, needy girlfriends and he's not that kind of boyfriend. But I like the idea that this is something we can do together. You know, before I get busy with a career and he gets busy with his, and we become one of those couples who only gets to spend time together after work and on weekends. Which is not to say that we'd ever become boring or predictable even then."

"I suppose there are worse reasons, but it's good that you're going to let up at least a little. What changed your mind?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was the look he gave me on his way out of the room after class a few minutes ago."

"Annoyed?"

"No. Just the opposite. He was laughing about something I said and then he left to go take care of his business."

"Um, I'm eating here, Emma…"

"No, I don't mean he went to the restroom, I mean his theater business."

"Oh. My mistake."

"Anyway…he just had that usual look of his. Enjoying life. Confident. About himself and us. And I don't want to become someone who nags all the time, even if it seems like it's with good reason. I don't want to ever be responsible for that natural expression of his going away."

"That's sweet, Emma."

"Thanks."

"And of course there's the whole reverse psychology angle where the more you downplay his going, the more he'll probably develop his own interest and desire to attend. Right?"

"Yeah, there's that, too," Emma joked. "There's nothing wrong with having TWO motivating factors, is there?"

Back in the newsroom, JT stopped walking toward the doorway and turned back to see what Liberty wanted to ask.

"What is it, Liberty?"

"You know Patrick's been flirting with me."

"I've noticed. What about it?"

"Yesterday he finally asked me out. I turned him down."

"Okay."

"I like him, but I don't LIKE him. He was disappointed, but he understood. We're still friends."

"That's good."

"Do you think that was a good thing to do, or should I have given him a chance?"

"I don't really want to get into…"

"JT," Liberty interrupted, "I want to know your opinion."

After a moment, JT shut the door then turned back around to face Liberty.

"What do I think? Well, I've known you a long time, and one of things I know for sure about you is that when there's something – or someone – you want, you go after it. You don't always get it. For instance, you didn't get me."

Liberty laughed.

"But even when you don't get what you want, it's not because you didn't try to go after it. I figure if you'd had any interest in Pat as more than a friend, there wouldn't have been any doubt in your mind. You would have taken a shot."

"That makes sense. But if someone else doesn't come along, then I've lost out on two guys who DID want me, first by ending things with Roger and now by rejecting Patrick."

"You know better than that, Liberty. What, were you hoping to find your true love before you graduate?"

"You did."

"Exception to the rule. Besides, from what I hear, smart girls are considered much cooler at university than they are in high school. You know, except maybe by the drunks in the frats. So you'll be meeting all sorts of people who will actually get turned on when you start going on and on about science experiments and hundred-year-old books and stuff like that, but who aren't completely boring and annoying like you thought Roger turned out to be."

"You're sure?" Liberty asked.

"Hey, have I ever lied to you?" JT responded.

"Wellll…there was that time you told me you had a sister. And when you tried to convince me you were gay…"

"We were, what, 12 – maybe 13 – years old?" JT asked, rolling his eyes.

Liberty laughed.

"You're never going to let me live that gay thing down, are you?" JT asked sarcastically.

"I hadn't planned on it," she joked, which made him groan in mock annoyance.

"So JT, have you decided if you'll be attending in the Fall? It seems like you'd enjoy being there, if only to observe college life and mock everything you might find off-kilter. Not to mention protecting Emma from all those guys who are attracted to smart women."

"Both good incentives, Liberty. Actually, I've been thinking about it. How could I NOT, with Emma going on about it? I suppose I'm really going to do it. She HAS mentioned a few classes that don't seem like they'd be the biggest waste of time I've ever spent. So maybe it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot, at least for a semester or two."

"That's great."

"As long as she doesn't get the idea that this means I'll start giving in to her on every issue."

"Don't worry, JT. Emma won't start thinking that. She's ALWAYS known that."

"Funny."

"I'm only kidding. You two are both good about taking care of one another."

"Let's not get all sentimental. I don't want to lose my appetite. And lunch is what I need right about now. You've got the ad and the payment. And as far as the personal business, are you okay?"

"Reassured and doing well."

"Then I'll see you later."

"Bye JT."

JT then went to the door and put his hand on the doorknob, but stopped before he turned it.

"Thanks, Liberty," he said while looking at the doorknob.

"For what?" she asked. "Shouldn't I have said that to you, considering our conversation?"

"I never said it last October. I meant to, but you know how it goes."

"I didn't do much," she said, realizing that he was referring to her part in the intentionally bad double date that led JT and Emma to confess their long-withheld feelings to one another. "The two of you would have found your way eventually. Like you say, things have a way of working out the way they're supposed to."

"Yeah, but it had already been months of wanting to…That night you helped us quit stalling and get everything out in the open."

He pressed tightly on the doorknob.

"Me and Emma…it's the best thing that's ever…Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you knew how much I appreciate…You're important to both of us."

"I know, JT."

"Good."

JT then opened the door and left the room. He walked through the halls and eventually made his way inside the lunchroom. After a quick glance around the room, he spotted Emma and Courtney sitting across from one another at a table eating and talking. In a moment, Emma looked up and noticed JT. She smiled and waved him over.

"Hey Courtney," he said once he reached the table.

"Hi," she replied.

"Nice sticker, Emma."

"Sorry about that, JT," Emma responded. "I shouldn't have…"

"Don't worry about it. Listen, since you seem to be the expert on all this stuff…Can you tell me some more about these film studies courses you mentioned the other day?"

"I'm sure I can get some further information and…Wait. Does this mean…?"

"Just tell me this college thing won't be the biggest waste of time ever and that I won't find it too annoying."

"I'll keep you from getting too annoyed," Emma assured him.

"I'm still not convinced this won't be a big mistake."

"It's not. I promise. JT, I'm so happy you've decided to do this."

"Don't think this is some win for you staying on my case," he said while sitting down at the table.

"Uh-huh," she replied as she put the sandwich and apple out in front of him.

"I mean, I'm an open-minded kind of guy. I should be willing to give this a chance."

"Absolutely, JT. It's all your idea."

"Yeah. Except if I don't like it."

"Then you're going to blame me, saying you only tried it for my benefit."

"Naturally," he joked. Then he winked at her. "Hey! No chips?"

"You like apples."

"True, but I like chips, too."

"You had chips yesterday."

"Emma, is there some chip rule saying you can't eat them two days in a row?"

"Don't mind me," Courtney interjected. "Who knew the caf would have its own version of dinner theater while I ate?"

"I suppose if you really want chips," Emma offered, "you could get a little bag of those baked ones."

"You mean the ones that are supposed to be healthier?"

"That's the kind."

"They have no salt and taste blander than a sheet of paper."

"I didn't realize you'd ever eaten a sheet of paper, JT."

"You know what I mean. So what is it? Are you trying to kill me before we even get to university?"

"How did you guess?" Emma asked, starting to laugh.

"Such a mean woman you are, Emma Nelson. So, do you want to do something after I get off work tonight?"


	35. Chicks and Flicks

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks for the recent reviews from **spider-man-fan**, **PsYcHoJo**, **cutiepye06655**, **Kristine** and **blondenbeautiful**. They are greatly appreciated. Now to answer some questions:

To spider-man-fan – They might. Or they might not. (How's that for a specific answer? Maybe I should go into politics.)

To Kristine – I can say, without giving away any spoilers, that Liberty's not re-developing a thing for JT. That's still in the past and she likes the close friendship they've developed. Still, she once told Emma (in Ch. 20) that she wanted the kind of relationship Emma and JT have. So maybe she's comparing other guys to JT – whether subconsciously or deliberately – and not giving them a chance. Time will tell.

****

Chapter 35 - Chicks and Flicks

The following Thursday night found JT and Emma at the mall. He stood near the restroom area waiting for Emma to return, during which time he debated whether he had enough time to run to the Food Court to grab a quick snack. His thoughts, however, were interrupted by a call to his cell phone.

"Hello?" he responded. "Oh, hey Sean. No, I can't tonight. I'm busy with Emma. You don't want to know. Fine, I'll tell you. We're at the mall about to see some new movie. It's called 'Any Given Lifeline'. Okay, I'm giving you five more seconds of laughter but then you stop or I'm hanging up.

"Yes, I know it's a chick flick, Sean. You don't really think I picked out this movie, did you? I don't even like watching movies here anymore. It's all cookie-cutter garbage sent to us from the big studios down in Hollywood, a place that hasn't had an original idea in years. But every once in awhile, Emma loses all of her good judgment and wants to watch the same movies that everyone else goes to see. Even these horribly clichéd chick flicks. She can't stand that term, by the way.

"It's probably going to take watching 12 good movies to wipe out the memory of seeing this bad one. But, hey, the things you do for love, right? Just wish me luck that I can survive these next two hours in Movie Hell. Yeah, see you tomorrow."

Soon after the phone conversation ended, Emma exited the restroom.

"So, did you get our tickets?" she asked JT.

"Emma, I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. Purchasing these tickets is something we should do together. As a couple."

"In other words you were stalling in the hope that they'll have sold out by the time we get up to the ticket booth."

"Well sure, if want to be all negative about it," JT joked.

"Let's get in line," she responded, grabbing his hand and leading the way to the ticket line. "Thanks for bringing me, JT. I know this isn't really your thing."

"Could have been worse. At least it's not a musical."

"You might like it more than you think. It's a romantic comedy, so there ought to be plenty of laughs."

"I don't have a problem with some romantic comedies, Emma. We've seen a few good ones at TMD. But those were ones done on a smaller scale. Ones where a good script was considered more important than making sure the actors were getting paid enough to pay for their PR, their therapy bills and their cocaine habits. It's just these mainstream ones that I don't like. You know, where the plot is practically the same every time and the stars are interchangeable. By the way, which one of those billion dollar per film pseudo-actresses is starring in this one?"

"I don't remember."

"See? You like these things and you aren't even interested enough to remember who's in it?"

"How about if I buy you a large popcorn? Will that help ease the pain, JT?"

"I don't know…" JT replied, pretending to pout.

"Popcorn AND a Coke?"

"I suppose that would make it easier to get through this ordeal," he said, smirking.

"Tell me I wasn't this fussy at TMD that Saturday awhile back when our classics for that day were a handful of Three Stooges films."

"You weren't this fussy, Emma."

"I figured as much."

"You were much worse."

"Thanks a lot," Emma huffed, which made JT laugh. "Still, those happen to be the only oldies among all the ones we've watched together that I don't particularly care for, JT, so you must admit I have a pretty good track record as far as classic comedy appreciation goes."

"That you do," JT said, kissing her. "I don't mind being here. After all, for the most part you have good taste, so I guess you're entitled to these rare moments of bad taste. Hey, you're with me, so I KNOW you've normally got excellent taste."

Emma laughed, and they soon reached the front of the line, where JT purchased their tickets.

"At least I picked the comedy," Emma told him. "I could have chosen the new romantic drama – 'Hope Around The Corner' – instead."

"You are obviously a very generous woman, Emma."

"Thank you, JT."

"But I'm still going to hold you to buying me the popcorn and drink."

"Deal," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"And…if you wanted to share in the popcorn eating, and our hands happened to come together while inside the big box…so much the better."

"JT, have I mentioned that I like the way you think?"

"No, but I just figured that went without saying."

While Emma laughed, JT wrapped an arm around her and they then moved over into a snack bar line to get popcorn and drinks.

In time, they settled into their theater seats and started eating popcorn. Emma was glad when the movie finally began after 15 minutes of previews and commercials, which JT said would likely be the best part of the whole show. JT made one final plea for relief, saying it would be far more entertaining to go stare at the mannequins in the window of one of the mall's clothing shops. He promised they could give the display models voices and personalities, creating a much better story than anything that they were going to see in this film. Emma responded by shoving a piece of popcorn in his mouth hoping that would quiet him.

About thirty minutes into the movie, Emma sat watching the film, very much impressed with what was on the screen.

'How can JT think this would be anything but great?' she thought to herself.

'You've got the really sad part, with Tiffany longing to be with Rex – her one true love – but right now he's away at that top secret dental school, learning to be the best one-armed dentist in the world. I almost started to cry when she thought she'd finally found his phone number only to discover that the number was actually to her long-lost best friend Lance. And it seems that Lance has a crush on her but can't tell her because he's a mute thanks to that tragic boating accident when he was a child. Okay, so they didn't explain why a mute would even have a phone, but you're not supposed to worry about little things like that. Just concentrate on what a beautiful love story this is becoming.

'But it looks like it's all about to get funny again because Tiffany's pregnant sister Heather is about to have her baby, only she's trapped in a hotel elevator with a bellboy who can't speak English. I don't know why JT would think these movies are full of clichés. Okay, so I've seen an elevator delivery situation in 4 other romantic comedies in the last couple of years…it still cracks me up every time. Ah, the beauty of these movies – whimsical yet so true to life.'

Emma happened to look over at JT and noticed that he had fallen asleep. She nudged him with her elbow and he slowly started to wake up.

"What happened?" he asked in a quiet voice, still not fully awake.

"You've been asleep," she whispered.

"And that was a bad thing?"

"Go outside and get yourself another drink. Maybe the extra sugar and caffeine will help you to stay awake."

"With this movie, all the sugar and caffeine in the world won't…"

"Just go get something," Emma interrupted.

"Fine. I only hope I don't miss the good part. Just kidding. I know there's not going to be a good part. I'll be back soon."

JT left the room and went toward the concession area. He saw two lines of customers, one with four people waiting and the other with only two people. Considering he was in no particular hurry to return for more of the film, he got in the longer of the two lines. Moments later, someone came out of the room showing the drama 'Hope Around The Corner' looking bored. Nearing the snack area, this person soon noticed JT standing in line.

"JT Yorke."

JT turned to see who was calling out to him.

"Ellie Nash," he responded upon seeing who it was.

Ellie went over and stood beside him at the back of the line.

"What are you doing here?" JT asked.

"I felt my life hadn't included enough suffering, so what better torture than a movie at the mall. And yourself?"

"The same. No, actually this was Emma's entertainment choice for the evening. That 'Lifeline' thing. I take it you're watching 'Hope.'"

"Yes," Ellie replied. "Which only proves there is no hope."

JT laughed.

"Hey, I'll admit I've seen movies that were a lot worse than these, Ellie. Even a few of the ones that get shown at TMD."

"Sad, but true," Ellie agreed. "At least you know what to expect from the hacks of Hollywood. Some of the so-called independent filmmakers are really only interested in taking a typical Hollywood idea, adding a couple of sex scenes and maybe a few sub-titles for good measure, and releasing it while they stand around going 'Look at me. I'm different. I'm an artist.' When all they're really doing is taking attention away from the genuinely worthwhile indie projects."

"Which all leads to the big question of the evening," JT interjected.

"Which is..." Ellie questioned.

"Well, the reason I'm here tonight is to both support and annoy my girlfriend. But why are YOU here, Ellie?"

"Promise you won't laugh."

"When you say something like that, I know for sure I can't make that kind of promise. Just tell me."

"I have a blind date," Ellie said, barely above a whisper.

"A what?" JT asked, seeking clarification.

"A blind date," she repeated, this time louder.

"Oh. So he can't see anything. Did he wander off and now you can't seem to find him?"

"Very funny," Ellie said, starting to smile. "Ashley seems to be under the impression that I don't date enough or mingle enough, so she took it upon herself to put me together with a friend from one of her classes. And against my better judgment, I agreed."

JT gave her a look as though he couldn't believe she'd agree to such a thing.

"What can I say? She caught me in a weak moment. It was late. I was tired and wanted to get to sleep, but she kept going on and on about how I should socialize more and how much fun I'd have and what a good guy Chad is. I agreed, if for no other reason than to give Ash a break – and get her to shut up so I could sleep."

"Chad? You, Ellie Nash, are out on a date with a guy named Chad? What? Were Flash and Skip already busy?"

"Shut up," she responded, trying not to laugh. "He's actually a nice guy. But he's a little too…peppy…for my tastes."

"Peppy."

"Right," Ellie confirmed. "The kind of person who'd be upbeat and happy all day every day. Even on a Monday morning…when it's raining…and you car breaks down."

"That's peppy all right," JT responded as they gradually moved further up in line.

"But apparently he also has a really sensitive side. Inside the movie, he even started crying a little."

"You're kidding."

"It's true," she assured him. "This film is about a guy who finds his long-lost girlfriend and they get back together. But soon they discover she has a fatal disease."

"What kind of disease?" he asked.

"I don't know, JT. Another of those unnamed diseases that women in these sort of movies always seem to get. Typical chick flick melodrama."

"And this really had an effect on Chad?"

"No, it was the part where the little girl cousin fell down a well. You know how there's always some sort of child endangerment in these dramas to try to further tug at the heartstrings."

"True."

"So anyway, the girl falls down the well and dies."

"What happened? Did she fall in head-first?"

"No, she was alive after the fall. But the rescue worker who was called out to the scene happened to be a narcoleptic. So just when he almost had her pulled back up to the top, he passed out cold, let loose of the rope which he was using to pull her up, and the girl crashed back down, this time on her head."

"And Chad was so moved he cried?"

"Yes. Now don't get me wrong. I think it's cool when a guy is sensitive enough that a film can move him to tears. But it should at least be a good film. There's no excuse for crying during a crappy movie."

"Don't be hasty, Ellie. I can understand a person crying because they realized they'd spent a lot of money on tickets to a crappy movie."

"Okay, I'll give you that one. Anyway, I felt I needed a break and decided to come out here. Besides, when the narcoleptic rescue worker dropped the rope and the child went 'Splat,' instead of being shocked liked everyone else in the theater, I started laughing, which earned me a few stares."

JT laughed.

"Did they really use a 'Splat' sound effect?" he asked.

"They should have. But no, they didn't. Remember, this is intended to be a serious film."

"Oh, of course," JT said sarcastically.

"I'm not sure if Chad picked this film because he mistakenly assumed that I'm someone who would want to see such a movie, or if he just likes chick flicks himself and thought I'd get into it, too. Maybe both."

"Probably. Anyway, Emma sent me out here for more refreshments. I had fallen asleep in there."

"I can't blame you for that," Ellie told him.

They made it to the front of the line. He got another drink, and then she bought a candy bar. Afterward, they stood to the side of the concession area and continued talking.

"Saturday afternoon, we're showing a couple of Harold Lloyd comedies. Will this be the week you finally give in to that little voice inside that wants you to try something on the more humorous side? Will me and Emma find you in a corner seat trying not to laugh – and failing?"

"I don't think so," Ellie said with certainty. "But I'm sure I'll be over there sometime soon in the other room watching that new murder mystery you're showing."

"It's pretty good. Me and Emma saw it the other day. And speaking of Emma, I guess I'd better get back inside."

"You're that eager to see more unfunny actors reciting unfunny punchlines in the midst of a predictable romance?"

"Yeah, right. No, but I should get back to her. Even when the movies are so bad they put me to sleep, being with her makes it worth the trouble."

"I can't really say that I have the same motivation, but I suppose I should get back to Chad as well. And, JT, if you ever hear me say I'm considering accepting another blind date, remind me of this evening."

"You got it, Ellie. But at least we had a few moments out here to give each other a sanity check."

"That we did. See you around the theater, JT. The real one."

"All my best to Chadsy Wadsy," JT said with a smirk.

"Very funny."

"Night, Ellie."

"Yeah. Good night, JT."

Ellie watched as JT then walked back into the theater to return to his movie.

'Okay Ellie,' she thought to herself, 'quit staring like that as though you were checking him out. But I think that IS what I was doing. God, I hope that I at least don't have some idiotic grin on my face. Sure, he's cute. And he's someone who actually seems to get me. And we have some common interests. And we both seem to have less than stellar family backgrounds. Never mind that he can make me laugh, which isn't exactly a common occurrence.

'These aren't thoughts I should be having. He already has someone in his life. Hopefully she appreciates him. But even if he weren't in a relationship, with my luck it wouldn't work out anyway. It never does. So it's for the best that he's a friend and only a friend.'

She glanced over one last time at the door JT walked through moments ago, and then she breathed a heavy sigh.

'Time to go back in to my own date and re-join that dolt Chad. Fun.'

While Ellie walked inside back to her movie, JT sat back down in his seat beside Emma, drink in hand.

"Think you can stay awake now?" Emma whispered.

"No promises," JT jokingly replied in an equally soft voice. With his free hand, he then took hold of one of her hands. "But I'll do what I can."

She squeezed his hand.

"Emma, you know you're slowly destroying me when you drag me to these things, right?" he teased.

She barely managed to keep from laughing since she didn't want to disturb anyone else in the room.

"Of course I know, JT. That's half the fun."


	36. Go Your Own Way

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to **spider-man-fan**, **Angelstargirl**, **Dark Spell**, **YellyBelly**, **cutiepye06655** and **Eppie Thenardier** for the recent feedback. Hope everyone will enjoy this latest installment.

**Chapter 36 - Go Your Own Way**

It was a sunny Monday morning in March. JT sat alone at a table at Ryan's. A waitress came over offering him more coffee, but he was lost in thought and didn't notice her presence until she repeated the offer. This time he became aware of the waitress standing before him and accepted the refill. Once she left, he returned to his thoughts, a big brown envelope sitting on the table beside his cup. Several moments later, he had an idea.

JT reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Seconds later, Emma was awakened in her bedroom by the sound of her phone.

"This better be good," Emma said upon answering the call.

"And good morning to you, too. You're ranking your phone calls now?" JT joked.

"No, but I may need to start having someone screen them. It seems there's this attractive but terribly annoying boy who likes to call and wake me up on days when I'm not required to be conscious at any particular time."

"Tragic," JT responded sarcastically.

"Just so you know, JT, you ruined a perfectly good dream."

"I've been called many things by past girlfriends, but you're the first to call me a dream ruiner."

"You know what I mean. In my dream, the two of us were at university, walking to class hand-in-hand. Our professors all thought we made a great team, acing every project we worked on together. And in class…"

"This all sounds very…boring," JT interrupted. "At least tell me that we were naked or something."

"No," Emma replied after laughing, "but the dream WAS in black-and-white."

"I guess that's something in its favor at least."

"And anyway this was a nice dream. Sure, there were no comedy routines or provocative moments, but it was still good."

"Sorry I woke you, Emma. I can hang up now and let you go back to sleep."

"Don't worry about it," she said in a sarcastic tone. "Why would I possibly want to sleep in on a Teacher In-Service Day when we don't have classes?"

"I was thinking. How about you call up the institution this morning and see if today would be a good day for us to take a drive over to Stouffville to see Shane?"

"I…don't think that's a good idea, JT."

"You told me about the phone calls you've made to Ms. Pierson to check up on him. You said that she told you there haven't been any more incidents and that they've even been able to lower his meds back down to the amount they'd been giving him before, and he's doing okay."

"So…have you mailed it yet?" Emma asked, trying to change the subject.

"I was going to in a little while. But that can wait. I thought you were anxious to see him. Anxious for me to see him. But it's been weeks…getting to be months…since we tried and couldn't. Now we've got a day off and I'm surprised you wouldn't want to use it to go back there."

"Don't wait too long, JT. I know it's early, but you know how long those lines at the post office can get."

"You know I'll be with you the whole time, Emma. Especially since I don't really want to chance dealing with crazy fake doctors again. Let's do it. Today."

"I said no," Emma replied, raising her voice. "God, what does it take to get through to you sometimes? He's MY not-really-a-father-but-whatever person. I'll decide when I think it's a good time to visit him, IF I even want to visit him at all. Quit acting like you get a vote."

"Oookay," JT said, not exactly certain how to respond. "It was…just a thought. No big thing. I'll talk to you later."

"Jamie, wait!" Emma spoke up quickly, not wanting him to hang up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. Hey, you know how cranky I can be when I get awakened before I'm ready. I'd probably bite the head off someone calling to tell me I won the lottery."

"No problem."

"I'm just not ready yet to go back there and try again."

"Don't worry about it."

"See you later?"

"You bet, Emma."

"Love you, Jamie."

"You too."

"And don't wait around much longer. Quit stalling and get over to the post office."

"Yeah, Emma…I'm on it."

JT put away his phone, took a sip from his cup and stared down at the envelope. Soon, Ellie walked into Ryan's. She ordered some toast and coffee at the counter before she noticed JT sitting at his table. She walked over toward him, motioning for the waitress to bring her order to JT's table once it was ready.

"JT Yorke."

She noticed that he wasn't responding.

"Earth to JT."

JT finally noticed Ellie's presence.

"Hey Ellie."

"You looked lost in thought. Would you rather be alone?"

"No. I'm fine. Go ahead and sit down."

Ellie sat facing JT. Moments later, the waitress brought over Ellie's order.

"I'm off today, but what about you?" JT asked. "Shouldn't you be in a class right now?"

"My early morning classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays," Ellie explained. "On the other days, my first class isn't until 10:00. So some mornings I jog, and other times I come in here for breakfast. It's nice to get away from campus for awhile."

"I'm not much of a late sleeper either."

"Just coffee?" Ellie asked, noticing the lack of a plate next to JT's coffee cup.

"I'm not that hungry this morning."

"JT, even though we've only really become friends in the last year or two, I'm willing to bet that you saying you're not that hungry is a first."

Ellie's comment made JT laugh for the first time that day.

"Now if we were sitting in the campus cafeteria, I could understand," Ellie continued.

"The food's that bad?"

"No, not so much bad as monotonous. The cooks were apparently never told about how variety is supposed to be the spice of life."

"Thanks for the warning," JT responded.

"Speaking of campus, is that your application?" Ellie asked, pointing to the envelope on the table. "I wasn't being nosy. I just noticed the mailing address was to the university, and it looks like the kind of envelope one would use for sending in all the necessary paperwork."

"Right you are, Ellie. In a little while I've got to head over to the post office."

"I see."

"One might say that my entire future is only a postage fee away," he said sarcastically.

"Try to tone down the enthusiasm," she joked. "Otherwise, with your high level of excitement, the university might try to get you to do some public relations spots."

"I'll work on it."

"What's the problem? Not worried that you won't get in, are you? Because I'm sure you don't have any reason to be concerned."

"Thanks. I'm not worried about that. Actually, a part of me would be relieved if I didn't get in. Then I could say, 'Hey, I tried, but it didn't work out.'"

"I take it you're not too thrilled with the idea of attending in the Fall."

"You could say that."

"Then there's a simple solution," Ellie offered. "Don't go."

"Just like that."

"Just like that. You'll find something else to do. I assume nobody's pointing a gun to your head and demanding your presence on campus."

JT laughed.

"Not that it's any of my business one way or the other," Ellie added.

"I told Emma I would give it a shot."

"So what? Did she make you sign an oath in blood or something?"

"I haven't really wanted to do any of this, but Emma's so into it. And after a lot of convincing, I decided it wouldn't hurt to try it, at least for a couple of semesters."

Just from the look on his face, Ellie could tell JT was really conflicted about this situation. Part of her wanted to reach down and put her hand on top of his, which was resting on the table. She stopped herself, however. Though the two were friends, she believed that even casual physical contact would be inappropriate considering the feelings for JT that had been slowly starting to develop within her in recent weeks. She soon re-focused her attention after realizing that JT was still talking.

"Maybe none of this makes much sense to you, Ellie, since you're already going to college."

"No, I get it. You know that the main reason I'm even there is because Caitlin Ryan helped me get in."

"I remember you once told me about it."

"I worked for her and her show after school for a few years. I still work on occasional projects with her when I have time. She's the one who convinced me I should attend university and helped with recommendation letters and scholarships."

"Thinking of becoming the next big-time broadcaster?"

"No. If anything, I'd much rather do the legwork. I think I'd like to get further involved with research. Maybe more of the same kind that I've done for the show, where I got to learn about a wide variety of topics. Or maybe I'll want to focus more on one particular area of research. Right now I'm not sure, which I guess is a good enough reason to spend some time trying out various courses."

"You've got a good reason to be there."

"But you don't think you do," Ellie said, confirming what she already knew rather than asking.

"Not really."

"Then, like I said before, don't go. Tell Emma you changed your mind."

"That would be a fun conversation," JT said, rolling his eyes.

"She loves you, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then she'll accept it. It might take a moment to get used to, but there's no reason why she shouldn't back you up if it's the choice you want to make."

"You're right, Ellie. In fact, just this morning she was going on about how certain things are up to her to decide on her own. That I don't get a vote, which I already knew but she seemed to feel the need to say anyway. So there's no reason why I shouldn't get to use the same rule with her."

"Exactly," Ellie agreed. "When it comes to something like this, you may want her advice. You may even take her advice. But you're the only one who can – or should – make certain decisions. Ultimately, you're the one who has to live with the choices you make. And the choices you don't make."

"What you're saying makes a lot of sense. I just…"

"JT," Ellie interrupted, "stop for a second."

He stopped talking and they looked at one another.

"JT, just for a moment put everything and everyone else off to the side. Now think. What is it that you really want? If you could do anything at all after you graduate in May, what would it be?"

For several moments, JT neither moved nor spoke. Then, he looked down once more at the envelope. After another moment, he looked up at Ellie and smiled. There was no doubt in his mind about what he truly wanted and he was now determined to make it happen.

That evening at the Yorke house, JT was sitting at the kitchen table looking over some papers when there was a knock at the door.

"Hey Emma," he greeted upon answering the door.

"Hi, stranger. Long time no see."

"Busy day. Come on in."

She entered the house and they kissed.

"Want something to drink?" JT offered.

"Sure. Water is fine."

They went into the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, she happened to notice something that caught her attention. She looked closer and saw that sticking up out of a trash sack in the corner was the envelope JT had planned to mail that morning. It appeared to be torn in half.

"So…uh…what have you been up to today? I called earlier but never could reach you."

"Sorry," JT said, handing her a bottle of water from the refrigerator while grabbing a Coke for himself. "You should have tried me on my cell. I've been in and out all day. Mostly out."

They both sat down at the table.

"What's all this?" Emma asked, pointing to the various papers.

"Just looking over some paperwork for The Movie Difference."

"Working on a day off from both school and the job? You sure you're feeling okay?"

JT laughed.

"Never better, Emma."

"Did it take much time at the post office this morning?" she asked, despite now knowing he couldn't have gone there.

"I didn't make it over there."

"Oh?"

"Guess what, Emma."

"JT…"

"No, come on. Guess what happened today."

"I couldn't begin to guess."

"I talked to Sal.

"He's your boss. That's not surprising."

"I'm buying the theater from him."

Emma's eyes widened in surprise.

"So, Emma, want to go out and grab some dinner?"


	37. You Dropped A Bomb On Me

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** I thank everyone for continuing to read this story and I give special thanks to **spider-man-fan**, **Dark Spell**, **YellyBelly**, **PsYcHoJo**, **cutiepye06655** and **Kristine** for the most recent reviews. It's both fun and encouraging reading your various reactions to the story and the characters involved.

****

Chapter 37 - You Dropped A Bomb On Me

Emma sat at JT's kitchen table, not quite certain that she had heard JT correctly.

"You're buying The Movie Difference?"

"Isn't it great?" JT asked, all smiles.

"I think I need to sit down," Emma said, stunned.

"Emma, you ARE sitting."

"Oh…yeah…so I am. I think I need to stand."

Emma stood up.

"No, I think I was doing better sitting."

She then sat back in her chair, reached out for her water bottle and took a long drink. She closed her eyes and a moment later started to smile.

"Okay, I get it," Emma said, opening her eyes.

"Get what?"

"You had me worried for a moment, but now I understand. You're getting your terminology all mixed up, JT."

"Huh?"

"It's no secret that the movie theater has been struggling for awhile. Breaking even, from what you've told me, but still nothing to write home about. You must have invested some money into the place, insuring that TMD wouldn't face any major financial hardships."

"Emma…"

"Sal must be so pleased that you decided to help out. And this way it's not like a loan, because you'll share in some of the profits. That is, once it starts showing a profit again. Still, investing isn't the same thing as actually buying a business lock, stock and barrel."

"No, Emma," JT said plainly.

"No?"

"I didn't invest."

"Oh…Well…Okay. Wait. I know. You must have given Sal a loan, which I suppose would technically make you an owner of the theater until he repays you. You won't get a share of the profits, but if you're charging him interest you'll at least make a little money on the deal."

"No, Emma," he repeated.

"No?"

"I didn't give him a loan."

"Oh…Well…"

"Before you try to come up with a third idea, let me butt in. I know what I did, Emma. It wasn't an investment deal. It wasn't a loan. I made Sal an offer. He countered it with an asking price that was a little higher. Then we managed to agree on a price that was somewhere in the middle. I'm going to own TMD. Lock, stock and…well, I've never seen any barrels around there. Come to think of it, we don't have any herds of cattle running around inside or out in the parking lot, so there's no stock either. So I guess I just bought the locks. Luckily, they came attached to doors and a building."

Emma stood up and slowly made her way into the living room.

"Emma?"

"I'm just trying to process this," she said. "During the course of a single day, you've become owner of a business. A property owner."

"Great, isn't it?" JT asked as he followed her out of the kitchen.

"I don't know if 'great' is the word I'd…"

"But I don't really own it. At least not yet. There are still contracts to sign. Arrangements to be made. Not to mention writing out the check."

"I see."

"So…What do you think, angel?" JT questioned, taking her hand. "Are you happy? This is like a dream come true."

"It sure sounds…exciting," Emma replied, removing her hand from his, to his disappointment and confusion. "Yes, quite…exciting."

"Yeah, I think so, too. Let's go out and celebrate, Emma."

"Hold on, JT. Not to rain on anyone's parade or anything, but in all the…understandable excitement…of the day, I think there are a few things you've overlooked."

"Like what?" he asked curiously.

"You do realize today was just an in-service day, right? We go back to school tomorrow and have to keep going back until we graduate at the end of May. It's one thing to work as an assistant manager on a part-time basis. And it's true that when you're there you run the place so well it's like you owned it. However, there's no way you can run a place properly as the new owner while attending classes, preparing for finals AND graduating."

"You're absolutely right, Emma."

"Thank goodness," Emma responded, breathing a sigh of relief as she sat down on the couch. "I just knew you hadn't lost all sense of reason."

JT joined her on the couch.

"Of course I can't balance everything right now," he explained. "I took that into account when I gave Sal my terms. We agreed that the transfer of ownership won't happen until the end of April."

"But that still leaves…"

"And during the month of May," JT continued, having predicted this next concern, "Sal will be there in a supervisory position. Handling things when I'm not around and helping to make the transition a smooth one. I'm not crazy. I couldn't do this without his help to get me started.

"Then in June, he's taking off. He said his daughter's been urging him for months to retire and move to Alberta to stay with her, her husband and their kids. He's wanted to retire but hadn't wanted to sell out because he was afraid a developer would be the only one to make him a decent offer. And a developer would just tear the place down or, at best, convert it into something completely different. He knows that by selling to me, I can not only keep the theater running but get it back on its feet. You should have seen how happy he was when I asked him if he wanted to sell."

"What about in the Fall, JT? How are you going to run a business AND attend university?"

"Right," JT said uneasily, knowing this issue would come up. "About that…I'm going to have to take a pass on enrolling."

"But you said… You agreed…"

"I know I said I'd give it a shot. You know I don't like disappointing you. But this…this is an opportunity that doesn't come along everyday. I have to take it."

"Take it? This isn't something that fell into your lap. You went looking for it. You went to Sal, not the other way around. Did you even have any intention of going to school or have you been planning something all along?"

"Emma…"

"If Sal hadn't felt like he was ready for a change, would you have gone out and found some other obstacle to get out of going?"

"Obstacle?"

"Yes, obstacle," she replied. "Anything to keep you from doing what you and I both know is good for you. You're acting like a little boy who knows he should eat all the vegetables on his plate but will look for any excuse to either put off eating them or get out of eating them altogether."

"Gee, thanks," JT responded in a sarcastic tone.

"You have so much potential, JT. Maybe you SHOULD run a theater. Someday. But do you really know for sure that that's what you want to do? Maybe next year you'll want to do something else. Or maybe there's something out there that you'd love to do and you don't even know it yet. Forget about the books and lectures part of it. This is your chance to discover all the possibilities that are out there. And it's not like it's all work. There would still be plenty of time to relax and have fun."

"I understand that, Emma, but…"

"And you're okay with giving all that up? You're so certain that the stressful task of running your own business right now is the thing you want to do for the rest of your life?"

"I'm absolutely certain. But if I ever changed my mind, I'd just find something else to do. Now if you'd just hear me out…"

"Perfect," Emma interrupted. "Any other little surprises for today? Any more unexpected brainstorms? I mean, you didn't also get the bright idea to take up smoking or anything, did you?"

"Emma…"

"What, is this your way of getting me back? I'm nervous and scared about going back to Stouffville. So while half-asleep I rudely rejected your offer to take me there today – for which, by the way, I apologized. And now, since I was rude this morning, you've decided to get me in return by going back on your word?"

"That's not what this is about and you know it. And I didn't go back on my word. I didn't swear on a stack of Bibles or say the words 'I promise'. I just changed my mind. That's all. Now if you'd let me tell you why I think this purchase is a good…"

"I make one stupid comment about not giving you a vote, and this is your way of throwing it back in my face."

"I never even wanted to go to college, Emma," JT said, starting to get annoyed with her attitude.

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, standing up. "Of course you did. You were just nervous."

"Didn't those little choking noises I'd make anytime you brought up the subject give you a hint that I might not want to do this?"

"That was just you being a little stubborn," Emma rationalized.

"I finally agreed to go because I didn't have anything else planned at the moment AND I knew it would make you happy if I was there. But then I was talking with a friend this morning…"

"Someone on his way to the unemployment line?" Emma asked with great sarcasm.

"And in talking," JT continued, ignoring her remark, "I had a chance to stop and think about what I'd really like to do. So I took a chance and went to see Sal. This wasn't some plot to get you. Believe it or not, Emma, there are some things in this world that aren't about you at all."

"So your mind is made up about this, JT?"

"Yeah," he replied, standing up to face her. "It is."

"Fine," she said sternly.

"Fine," he repeated calmly back at her.

"It's not a problem. I can adjust my way of thinking."

"I knew you could," JT said, starting to feel better about Emma's attitude.

"After all, I love you."

"I love you too, Emma."

"So I'm sure I can get used to life with a guy who's too afraid to take a chance on higher education."

JT sighed.

"Look, Emma, I don't want to fight. We hardly ever argue for real and I hate it when we do."

"This isn't a fight. This is me adjusting to this huge decision that you made today without giving me so much as a second thought."

"You're right, Emma. We're not fighting. Fighting would mean that more than one person gets to speak. And as usual you've decided to speak for yourself, for me, and no doubt for every man, woman and child within a twenty-mile radius."

"If only you were as good at making huge choices about your life as you are at making jokes."

"Let me just make sure I have your position straight, Emma. Since I'm not going to attend university, I'm making a huge mistake with my life?"

"No. Not huge. But it's not the best choice you could make."

"What about your mom, Emma? No college diploma on her wall, but she did okay. She runs her own business and has made a great life for herself. And her husband – a TEACHER – seems to think she turned out great, too."

"That's different. She didn't have a choice about not continuing her education beyond high school. Not with a little kid to raise at the time. It's fortunate that she was able to accomplish as much as she has in spite of being stuck with me."

"Don't talk that way, Emma. I know that your mom doesn't think of you as something bad that kept her from doing other stuff."

"I know she loves me. That doesn't change the fact that she had me at a time when I had to be the last thing in the world she could possibly want in her life. Maybe she would have gone on to school and then still owned a salon or some other business. Who knows? She never had a choice because she had to go to work full-time right out of high school."

"What about my mother, Emma?" JT countered. "She didn't continue with school either. After high school she went from doing the occasional seamstress job to full-time work in her field. And that eventually led to her building her own business, from a tiny operation to a successful company in a relatively short amount of time."

Emma had no response to this. At that point, she decided it was time to end this discussion, at least for the time being.

"I don't want to fight either, JT," she told him.

"Good. I'm glad."

"Let's just put all this aside for tonight."

"Fine by me," he agreed.

"I believe you mentioned something before about going out to eat."

"I'm really not that hungry, Emma. Mind if I pass?"

"Oh…Okay. Not a problem."

While Emma tried to keep from looking disappointed, JT let out a slight laugh.

"What is it?" she asked.

"This is the second time today I said I wasn't hungry and…Never mind. I guess it's more of a private joke. You had to be there this morning to get it."

"What would you like to do, JT?"

"There's no reason why you shouldn't eat just because I'm not hungry. Why don't we just call it a day?"

"All right. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Definitely."

JT walked Emma to the door.

"JT, you know I wouldn't argue with you about all of this if I didn't love you so much and want what's best for you. Right?"

"As long as you know that I'm not changing my mind. I'm buying the theater and I'm going to do a good job with it."

"I just want you to make sure you know what you're doing."

"Good night, Emma."

JT briefly kissed her then closed the door the moment she was outside. Emma slowly started walking away from the house and down the block.

'Why did I do that?' Emma thought to herself. 'I treated his good news as if it was some sort of personal insult. But I don't want him making some crazy decision that he could regret one day. It's true that neither of our mothers went further in school, but they didn't exactly have the opportunities that he and I do.

'I'm not wrong about this. I'm not. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have continually interrupted him. And the more I think about it, it IS great that he's got something he's so good at and found a way to…What am I saying? This is just another impulsive JT Yorke decision. Tomorrow he'll realize what he should do, and I'll be there to support him.'

Back inside the house, JT was back in the kitchen, standing over the table looking at the various papers he'd been studying prior to Emma's visit. After several moments, he left the kitchen and walked into his bedroom. He looked at the picture of himself and Emma that sat on his desk. Then he grabbed his keys, which sat beside the framed photo. He soon left the house, entered his car and drove off.


	38. You Can't Always Get What You Want

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Thanks for all of the recent reviews. Now for a few replies.

YellyBelly – Yours was my 200th review. As usual, you had some interesting thoughts and analysis.  
Rehkopf – Thanks. Glad you're continuing to enjoy it.  
spider-man-fan – Watch where you're going with that pitchfork…  
cutiepye06655 – You're right. It seems like JT's really been feeling the pressure.  
fcms1163 – Glad you've enjoyed Ellie's appearances as well as the JT/Emma relationship.  
kristine – Thanks. You're right about it being different. Fighting isn't something they do often, especially about such serious matters.

****

Chapter 38 - You Can't Always Get What You Want

His car parked alongside the curb, JT sat alone on a bench across the street from The Movie Difference.

Some might look at this old building and see a relatively insignificant business. A minor movie house to show films that the mainstream doesn't care about as well as films from a bygone era. JT, however, saw it as the place that shows the movies that more people might enjoy if they knew about them, and the place to bring older classics back to the big screen for new generations. It was an old building that he knew he could revitalize and use to entertain so many people in the area.

He also now saw this place as the unintended cause of his and Emma's first major disagreement since they became a couple. After spending time looking over at what will soon become his, he got back into his car and drove away.

Emma, meanwhile, walked around the neighborhood for awhile after leaving the Yorke house. First she tried to gather her thoughts together. Then she tried clearing her mind. Neither was successful, as everything kept coming back to JT's news and the resulting argument.

She finally made her way back home. Upon entering the house, she went into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and stared inside, not really hungry but realizing that an empty stomach wasn't going to help.

"Not eating out tonight?" asked Snake, startling Emma out of her thoughts. She turned to finally notice that he had been sitting at the kitchen table working on his computer the whole time.

"Hi Archie. Didn't see you there."

"I noticed."

"Dinner plans got canceled on me," Emma explained as she pulled out some pasta salad and shut the refrigerator door. "Where's Mom?"

"Still at work. One of her stylists called in sick, so she's staying late to help out."

"Fun," Emma responded sarcastically while pulling out a plate from the cupboard.

"It's okay. She enjoys it. Besides, when you run the place, sometimes it's up to you to cover when one of your staff can't be there."

"Something else for JT to look forward to, and I bet he hasn't even thought of situations like this."

"What? I had no idea JT was thinking of going into business with your mom."

"Very funny," Emma replied while standing at the counter putting some of the salad onto a plate.

"What's going on, Em? You seem like something's wrong."

While Emma explained JT's news to her stepfather, JT was now walking the grounds of the university, wandering past various buildings. He soon reached his destination: the campus library. Once inside, he took the elevator to the third floor. It was much quieter here on the top floor than at ground level and he noticed very few students as he roamed around through aisles of books. Soon, he found, sitting at a table in an out-of-the-way corner, the person he had come to see.

"Ellie Nash."

Ellie looked up from her book and smiled.

"JT Yorke," she replied, putting the book down on the table.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Not bad. It's good to see you."

"It seems peaceful here. I can see why you told me you like to come here some nights."

"Yeah, most people prefer the first two floors, where all the computers are. They seem to forget that there are also books up here, too. Not that I'm complaining. I get more work done up here than any place else. And reading. And relaxing. Occasionally you'll see a few grad students up here sorting through research materials. Or someone sleeping. One Thursday night a few weeks ago, I went into the restroom and found a couple having sex, but other than that…"

"All part of that great college experience I keep hearing about?"

"Something like that," Ellie laughed. "JT, I know I said you ought to come by sometime, but I didn't expect it would be tonight."

"Are you busy? I can leave."

"No, I didn't mean it was a bad thing. Sit down."

JT then sat opposite her at the table.

"I took a chance that I'd find you. I figured you ought to know how things turned out after this morning's conversation."

"You didn't have trouble finding the library, did you?"

"No. Remember, I make it to the campus a few times a month to bring new ad copy to the student newspaper."

"Oh, that's right. Anyway, I would have thought that tonight you'd be off celebrating. That is, if things worked out. Did they?"

"They did. Ellie, you are looking at TMD's new owner. Well, new owner as of the end of next month anyway, but…"

"JT," Ellie interrupted loudly. "That's great!"

"Keep shouting like that in a library and you're going to get us both thrown out of here," he teased.

"Oh please. If nobody was bothered by a couple moaning one another's names in the restroom, I think we'll be okay."

"I've gotta thank you, Ellie."

"No. It was your idea. Your dream. I didn't have anything to do with it."

"It's my idea and my dream. But you're the one who reminded me I should go for it. That I shouldn't spend the next few years doing something I know I'll hate just to please someone else. Not when there was a chance I could make this happen."

"Speaking of someone else, what did Emma say when you told her the good news? She was thrilled, wasn't she?"

Back at the Nelson/Simpson home, Emma ate and talked with Snake.

"Wow," he said.

"I know," Emma responded. "I couldn't believe it myself. Look, since he obviously won't listen to me about this right now, maybe you could talk to him."

"What?"

"You know, maybe after class tomorrow."

"I don't think I should get in the middle of this."

"But you're his teacher. And his girlfriend's stepfather. Not to mention you're more of a father figure to him than his own father has ever been. He'll listen to you."

"And what am I supposed to say, Em?"

"That he's moving too fast. That there will be plenty of time to run a business in a few years. That he should give university a chance because he'd do well there. And anything else you think might sound good."

"I don't think so."

"Archie…"

"I'm sorry, Em. I know you're disappointed that he changed his plans, but it's his decision."

"I would think as a teacher you would encourage your students to continue with their education."

"It's up to me and the other teachers to encourage and educate so that students will be equipped to make well-informed decisions about what to do with their lives once they turn 18. It's my job to prepare you guys so you're able to decide for yourselves whether to continue on with your formal education or take a different path. It's not my job to tell you what that decision should be."

"Okay, that's the teacher response. But since it's JT, what's your personal opinion?"

"I think he's learned a lot at Degrassi and could do well at university," Snake offered.

"Great," Emma answered with a smile on her face.

"But I also think he could do well even if he didn't choose to do that," he added.

Emma's smiled disappeared after hearing this.

"He's also learned a lot working at the theater," Snake explained. "Sure, he might not fully realize how much more is involved in running the place than what he already handles. But you just told me a moment ago that the current owner is sticking around to help with the transition and any additional training JT might need. If this is what JT wants, then I think he should have a chance to make a go of it. I have a feeling he'll do very well, or at least put in a good effort."

"I'm sure he would. I'm not doubting his abilities, Archie, I just…"

"…Want him to do things your way?"

"Putting it like that makes me sound awful."

"I wouldn't put it that harshly. You want what you think is best for him."

"Exactly."

"And you're disappointed that he didn't come around to your idea of what that 'best' is."

Emma knew that Snake was correct in his assessment of the situation.

"It's not like I'm saying he shouldn't want this or that he shouldn't do it. I just think that if he slowed down and took a few courses, THEN he'd have a better idea of whether this is what he should do."

"Look, there are all different kinds of education, Em. Some students go on to university. Craig went a different way. He's been working as a photographer's assistant since he graduated last year as well as continuing with his music. JT's planning to put his Degrassi education and his on-the-job education to good use running that movie theater. And I'm sure there are many others graduating this May who also have different ideas they're going to pursue."

"So you think I should back off."

"Again, that's rather harsh, but yeah, easing up might be a good idea."

"Sounds more like giving in."

"It's not giving in. He changed his mind and decided not to go. You can change your mind and try to see things from his perspective. Nobody's the loser in this."

"You know, Archie, even when he used to make rotten grades more often than not, I never thought he was dumb. He's always been smart in his own way."

"And what he's decided to do…It's not going to cause you to stop believing in him, is it?"

"Of course not."

"Did you tell him that?"

"It all happened so fast. The surprise. The shock. Then I just started talking and…"

"And what?" Snake asked after she stopped without completing her thought.

"And I barely let him get a word in."

"It's okay, Emma I think he's used to that from you by now."

"Funny. But not that far off. He kept trying to tell me why he thought this would be great. He was so excited. And I just wouldn't let up. He looked so hurt that I wasn't acting like I was happy for him."

"He DID spring it on you. He had to know this would catch you off guard."

"True. Forgetting the whole college angle, it bugs me a little that he didn't talk it over with me before making such a huge decision. Not that we're married and he should feel obligated to consult me. I don't know. Maybe he thought it would make a fun surprise announcement. Maybe he figured I was unapproachable today after our phone conversation this morning."

"So what's your plan?"

"I love him, Archie," Emma stated without hesitation. "I love him and I'm proud of him. I may disagree with his timing, and I'm disappointed that we won't get to take classes together in the Fall. But it's his dream. I won't NOT support him. He's always been there for me."

"Wise choice."

"It'll take a little getting used to, though. JT Yorke – entrepreneur. But I know that if anyone can make it work, he can."

"I know he'll be happy to hear you say that, Emma."

"Excuse me a moment."

Emma left the table and walked toward the telephone. She called JT's house but the answering machine picked up.

"JT?" Emma began after hearing the beep. "It's me. If you're there, pick up."

She waited a moment, but when JT didn't respond, she continued her message.

"I guess you've gone out for awhile. We're not done talking. When you get home, call me back. Even if it's late. This time I won't complain if you happen to wake me up. I want to hear all about your purchase and your plans. You can tell me all those things I didn't give you the chance to say earlier. Talk to you soon."

At the library, Ellie noticed that JT looked stressed despite his attempts to act like his normal casual self. From past experience, she understood all too well the desire to downplay one's troubles around others, even friends.

"Just talk to her again tomorrow," Ellie advised.

"Then she and I can have one of those 'de ja vu all over again' experiences," JT replied. "Not a good idea."

"No, maybe after having some time to think about it and enjoying a good night's sleep, she'll get it and be happy. Even though I think she could have reacted better, you dropped a big bombshell on her."

"I know. Maybe you're right, Ellie."

"And if she still wants to be a pain about it, that's her tough luck. She can either deal or get out of your way."

"No. I'd never want it to come to that. If it's going to cause that much of a problem, I can…I don't know…maybe put it immediately up for sale again. Make a nice little profit and keep Emma happy all at the same time."

"And give up what you want more than anything?"

"What I want more than anything is a life with her. Long-term. Anything that gets in the way of that is non-essential. I wish she'd have just let me get a few words in. If she had just heard me out…"

"Then tell me, JT."

"Huh?"

"Tell me what you wanted to tell her."

JT let out a brief sigh.

"Okay. Well, Emma knows my feelings about that place, but I don't think even she knows exactly what it's meant for me to work there. When I'm there, people look to me to take charge. To help people. To make things happen. Me. JT Yorke. I'm responsible for the staff. I'm the one they come to when there's a situation. I'm the one that customers come to, whether there's a problem, or even just to say they enjoyed their experience. I handle much of the phone calls and paperwork. I'm important.

"Nobody there – staff or customers – has ever looked at me and said 'Don't bother with him. He's just some useless kid.' They see me as the guy who can get things done, and maybe make them laugh a little while I'm doing it. Perfect strangers see more value in me than my own father ever… Anyway, what we do there all goes toward entertaining people. That can't be a bad thing.

"Sure, we've been losing money. That's because Sal's gotten tired in the last couple of years. In one sense that's been good because it's meant I've gotten to take care of a lot of the things he would normally do. But it's also bad because he hasn't cared as much about upkeep of the building or wanting to increase the variety of films we show. Also, he hasn't wanted to do special promotions or events. Even before I ever thought I could buy the place, I imagined what I could do if TMD was mine, and I have so many ideas. The only difficult part will be figuring out where to begin.

"Am I the brightest guy on the block? No. Would a few years of university courses help me? Probably. But I think I'm bright enough to do what needs to be done. And what I lack in smarts, I make up for in instincts. It might be tough at first, but it will be worth it. And, Ellie…I know I could make Emma proud of me."

"You don't think she is already?"

"I think she is. Most of the time. But there are times…times when I'm so afraid she still thinks of me as that goofy kid from down the block who shoves pebbles up his nose or belches in her face. And now, after tonight, maybe she thinks I'm just a dumb kid who's too lazy to want to go to college. Like I said, maybe I should just sell the place and forget the whole thing."

"Absolutely not," Ellie was quick to object.

"I can't do this without her support," JT counters.

"You can and, if need be, you will. But before that happens, go to her."

"I think it wouldn't do much good to talk to her again tonight."

"Fine, then try it tomorrow. Talk to her. Reason with her. Argue with her if it'll do some good."

"I can't stand arguing with her."

"Then put on that JT Yorke charm and let it work its magic. This isn't her dragging you to a crappy movie at the mall. This is your future, and it's coming up in only a few more weeks. Just tell her what you wanted to say to her earlier. What you've told me now. Whatever you do, don't keep all of that bottled up inside. Trust me, nothing good comes from holding things back."

Knowing some of Ellie's history from past conversations, JT understood where she was coming from with that comment.

"You're right, Ellie. I shouldn't give up just because of one bad conversation. I'll try again."

"That's good, JT."

"But I don't want to wait for tomorrow. I think I'm gonna head home and give her a call. Maybe we can still meet up tonight and go over everything."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Thanks Ellie," JT said as he stood up from the table. "I really didn't come here to unload all of this on you."

"Don't worry about it," Ellie replied. "It's what friends do. I'm just glad you wanted to come by and tell me the good news. And don't let anyone convince you that it's not good news. It's great news. I know you'll be successful."

"That means a lot, coming from a highly critical consumer such as yourself."

Ellie laughed as she too stood up from her chair.

"You know," JT began, while looking at a shelf of books beside where they stood, "it's no wonder you've got sexually charged people getting together in the restrooms here. You've got books on human sexuality over here. Right next to books on medieval torture. Those crazy coeds can't help needing an outlet with all the inspiration around here."

"What?" She began surveying the books on the shelf. "All I see on that shelf are books on economic theory."

"Yeah," JT said with a smirk, "but I made you look."

"You're crazy, JT," she said while rolling her eyes.

"Thank you, Ellie. It's taken years of practice to reach this level of crazy. This is not for beginners."

Suddenly, Ellie moved closer to JT and gave him a brief hug, catching JT off guard.

"Sorry," she said shyly after releasing him.

"I've never had someone hug me and then apologize for it," he said, looking clearly confused.

"It's just that I'm not normally the touchy-feely hugging type."

"You? I'm shocked!" JT replied jokingly.

"I guess I just felt like you deserved a hug. I'm happy for you and I don't want you to think you made a mistake."

"Thanks. I guess I'll see you around the theater later this week."

"You mean YOUR theater."

"Not until May."

"Technically. But you need to start thinking of it that way."

"I'll do that. Good night."

"Good night, JT."

Ellie watched as JT walked toward the elevator. Once he was gone, she sat back down at the table.

'I don't know who's worse,' she thought as she picked up her book, 'Emma for not supporting JT and this great opportunity he's made for himself, or me for encouraging him to keep trying to get through to her. For his sake – and only for his sake – I hope it works out.'

JT left the library and it wasn't long before he had made his way back home. Before he could call Emma, he noticed he had a message on the machine. He decided to play it and then call her.

"JT? It's me. If you're there, pick up."

JT smiled upon hearing Emma's voice.

"I guess you've gone out for awhile. We're not done talking. When you get home, call me back. Even if it's late."

His smiled turned into a frown and he cut off the message before it was over.

'I guess you didn't even want to sleep on it, Emma,' he thought. 'No. Instead, just more orders. Why wait and maybe have a change of heart when you can call to give me another lecture?

'And since I was out, you left a message, obviously with strict orders to call you for my lecture once I got back. Sorry, Emma, but one lecture tonight was plenty. And I guess if you're still in the mood to argue, there's not much point calling to try to get you to see things from my point of view. At least not tonight.

'It looks like the peace talks will have to wait for another day.'


	39. It Don't Come Easy

****

The Long And Winding Road

**Chapter 39 - It Don't Come Easy**

"JT!" Ellie called out once she noticed the young man approaching her table at the library. "You're back!"

"No, Ellie. This is my front." JT smiled then turned his back to her. "Now you're seeing my back."

"I'm just surprised to see you again tonight. You only left a half hour ago."

"I didn't feel like staying around in that house all by myself," JT explained as he turned back around to face her.

"Didn't things go well when you tried to talk to Emma again?"

"Let's not talk about that."

"JT, I hope you won't think me selfish if I say that I'm not sorry and that I'm happy to see you again."

"Selfish? How could I think that of you? Some people would say I don't know the meanings of lots of words, but I know that 'selfish' would not apply to you."

"You scare me, JT."

"Me?"

"I shouldn't have these feelings that I've been developing for you."

"What feelings are those, Ellie?"

"Deep understanding. As though we're the only two real people and everyone else is a simulation of what society expects from us."

"Sounds like the plot for an interesting film. And don't look now, but we ARE the only two people. At least the only two people in this part of the building."

"I hugged you before," Ellie said quietly.

"I remember."

"It wasn't something I'd planned to do."

"Not being the touchy-feely hugging type. Yes, I understand. It was a friendly gesture on your part."

"Yes. I didn't mean it as anything but friendly."

"It was very helpful to me, Ellie. I thank you for it."

"Only, right now…I have this urge to kiss you. And not as a friendly gesture."

"I see," JT responded, looking as though he was trying to process this new information.

Ellie stood up from the table and directly faced JT.

"It's wrong, JT. I realize this."

"And yet I don't see you putting on the brakes, Ellie."

Ellie slowly moved in closer toward JT. She stood on her tiptoes to get closer to his face. Then she gradually moved her lips toward his until they almost touched.

"Ellie?" JT interrupted suddenly before she could kiss him. "Why is there a blue giraffe wandering past the table behind you?"

"What?" she asked, now in a state of confusion. She turned around and saw that there was indeed this unusually colored long-necked animal walking by between her and the table.

"Ellie," another voice called out.

Ellie mumbled an inaudible response.

"Nash!" the voice – a woman's – grew louder as Ellie felt a tug on one of her shoulders. "Wake up."

Ellie slowly opened her eyes and, after some initial blurriness, noticed her friend and dorm roommate Ashley Kerwin standing at her bedside, leaning over her.

"What…?" Ellie asked, still not quite awake.

"For somebody so into taking early morning classes," Ashley said, "you're starting to act like every other college student around here. You've already punched your snooze button twice and now you were starting to make sounds."

"Must have been dreaming."

"That much was obvious. You got in late last night. Another long evening at the library?"

"Yeah," Ellie replied, now starting to wake up. "A friend came by and we talked for awhile. Then after he left, I kept on reading and before I knew it, it was closing time and I had to leave."

"You said your friend was a 'he'. Interesting. Anyone I know?"

Ellie looked at her clock and quickly got out of her bed.

"Thanks for the personal wake-up call, Ash. I'd better hurry up and get dressed so I'm not late for class."

Without answering Ashley's question, she went into their bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.

'I can't believe I dreamed that he came back later,' she thought. 'And that I started to…Get a grip, Ellie. Welcome back to reality, as unappealing as it can sometimes be.'

Later on, while Ellie attended her first university course, the first class of the day at DCS ended. Sean and JT exited English, talking as they walked down the hallway to get to Sean's locker.

"So, Mr. Executive," Sean started, "does this mean we now have to go around calling you 'Sir' and bowing down before you?"

"I've been trying to get you to do that for years, Sean, and it hasn't worked so far. 'Mr. Yorke' will do nicely. Oh and maybe the occasional curtsy."

"It's going to be a lot to handle," Sean then said on a more serious note.

"I know."

"You'll make it work."

"Is that a question?"

"No. A statement of fact. It's going to be great."

"Thanks."

"Just don't forget about us once you're an official business tycoon, JT."

"What was your name again?"

They both laughed.

"So how did Emma take it?" Sean asked while putting some books in his locker. "You know, now that you've found what you want to do and you're not doing the whole college thing."

"She took it quite well actually," JT replied.

"That's great."

"And by quite well, I mean she let me know I was a complete failure."

"What?" Sean questioned in surprise.

"And a monumental disappointment to the human race," JT added.

"Are you serious?"

"Oh and my personal favorite – a big stupidhead."

At this, Sean rolled his eyes.

"What happened, JT? Did Emma suddenly attend the Spinner Mason School of Lame Comebacks?"

"Okay, maybe she didn't say those things."

"I didn't think so."

"But that's what she meant. The look on her face, Sean…you'd have thought I had just confessed to burning down a rainforest."

"I'm sure you're still exaggerating."

"Maybe. But not by that much."

"You told her your plans. She was surprised. It's a new day, JT. Try again."

"I want to. I was planning to. But then I got home last night and she left this message on my machine demanding we talk some more last night."

"And?"

"And as disappointed as I was by her reaction and as much as I wanted to talk to her and make things right, I wasn't going to let her bully me."

"So you didn't call her back."

"You got it. Do you know how tough that was? I've never not called her back when she's asked me to."

"If there had ever been any doubt in my mind whether or not you two were made for each other, this would have cured me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're both dying to do the right thing and make things work, but you're both so damn stubborn that you let stupid stuff get in the way."

"Hey!"

"Fix it, JT. You know you want to."

"Of course I do, but…"

"And it looks like she wants to, also."

Sean pointed down the hallway to where JT's locker was located. Emma was standing nearby.

"Of course she's over there. We always meet up by my locker and walk to Math together."

"You've got a few minutes before class starts, JT. Make 'em count."

"Okay. Might as well give it a shot."

"Good. Now I've got my own class to get to. I'll talk to you later."

"See you, Sean."

After Sean left in the opposite direction, JT walked down the hall to his locker.

"Hey Emma."

"He speaks!" Emma exclaimed in mock surprise. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten how."

JT rolled his eyes, annoyed that she was already starting in on him.

"Well, it's not like I've been given a chance to say all that much lately," he commented while grabbing a book from his locker.

"You barely said a word during homeroom."

"Last minute studying for the English quiz, which by the way I think I aced."

"That's good, JT," Emma said, her expression changing from annoyance to happiness. "I'm proud of you."

"Uh-huh."

"Don't sound so surprised."

"We'd better get to class, Emma."

"JT, is your answering machine broken?"

"It was fine the last time I checked. Why?"

"I left you a message last night. You were supposed to call me back, but since you didn't I figured either the machine was on the fritz, or you didn't check your messages when you got in."

"Supposed to call you back? What am I, a JT doll with a string connected to my back? You pull the string, and I do exactly what you want every time, no questions asked?"

"That's not what I mean, JT."

"Don't worry, Emma. I got your message last night. Loud and clear."

"And…?"

"'We're not done talking. Call me back.' Nice orders, Emma, but I wasn't ready for another lecture."

"What about the rest of the message? Didn't you listen to the rest of it?"

"There was more? Oh well. Probably more of the same. I was just about to call you last night, then I heard that message. Or the first part of it. Whatever. But after our argument earlier, then talking with Ellie, who was - believe it or not – happy about my news, I wasn't in the mood to talk to Nancy Negative again last night."

"Ellie? As in Ellie Nash?"

"She's the only Ellie I know."

"Why would you care about telling her anything? I know she's a friend of yours – and why that is, I'll never understand – but I didn't know you cared enough to tell her about your news right away."

"Why not? She was there when I decided to go find Sal and make him the offer."

"There? Wait. You mean, SHE'S the friend you were referring to as helping you make this decision."

"She helped me step back and decide for myself what I wanted to do with my life, but the decision to buy TMD was all mine."

"Great! Have you confided in her everything about your life? Does she know the location of your secret stash of emergency doughnuts?"

"I didn't confide anything. There wasn't anything secretive. I don't keep secrets. And anything I've told her in the last day is something that I'd either already told you or at least tried to tell you. You have nothing to be jealous about, which you ought to know by now."

"I'm not jealous," Emma protested.

"I'm glad," JT replied.

"You still should have listened to the rest of my message.

"Okay. What else did you say?"

"I don't feel like talking anymore right now," Emma replied.

"Wait. You left a message to say we're not done talking and then added that you don't feel like talking anymore?"

"No! I'm saying there was more to my message, but right at this moment I don't feel like talking anymore."

"So you're saying you said you had something to say, not that you wanted to say you had nothing to say. And now you have nothing to say which isn't to say you have nothing more to say. Just nothing to say at this particular moment. Or did I say that wrong?"

"We've both said enough for now, JT."

"Okay, say no more. We have to get to class anyway."

"Fine," she said.

"Fine," he repeated back at her.

They walked to Math together in silence. As the morning progressed they said very little to one another. Later, in their MI class, Liberty noticed the couple occasionally looking at one another, almost speaking but never quite saying anything.

"Okay, guys" Simpson spoke to his class, "we're about out of time for the day, so just use the rest of the time for independent Internet research."

"Look at them," Liberty told Patrick, who sat at the computer station next to hers.

"Who?" Patrick asked, though he already had an idea.

"JT and Emma, of course."

"Of course," Patrick said sarcastically. "What about them?"

"Something's not right, Patrick."

"Maybe it's that they don't like being spied on."

"They haven't even noticed me looking in their direction. And it's not spying."

"It's not?"

"It's called being a concerned friend."

"Liberty," Patrick began, trying to change the subject, "care to join me for lunch in the caf when we get out of class?"

Liberty, continuing to keep an eye on the nearby couple, didn't respond.

"You know. Just us."

She still didn't react.

"You can even tell me all about the differences between spying and concerned friendly staring," he continued.

Liberty then turned and looked at Patrick.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"Never mind," he replied, feeling defeated.

"When he told me the news this morning, he didn't say how Emma reacted. I suppose this could qualify as a reaction. Wait. You did hear about JT's purchase of TMD, didn't you, Patrick?"

"Sure. Sal told me last night before I left."

"That's good. If JT had been waiting to surprise you, I'd hate to think I spoiled it for him."

"When Sal started by saying that there were going to be some big changes coming up in a few weeks, I was afraid he was about to tell me that a bunch of us were getting fired."

"What do you think about it?"

"It's good news. If anyone can make that place noticed by more people, it's JT. I'm just sorry he didn't say anything to me himself yesterday. The four of us could have gone out and celebrated last night."

"If I know JT…" Liberty started.

'If?" Patrick interjected, unable to keep the sarcastic tone out of his voice.

"…He was more in the mood for a private celebration with Emma," Liberty finished her statement, not noticing that Patrick had even said anything.

The bell then rang.

"And that's all she wrote, folks," Simpson said. "Have a good one, and don't forget there's a test on Thursday."

Most of the students gradually gathered their belongings and left the room. Emma looked at JT, who was putting a notebook in his bookbag.

"JT," she finally spoke, "I…"

"JT," Simpson interrupted, walking over toward the couple. "Emma told me about your purchase."

"Oh?" JT asked, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Congratulations, son. I'm proud of you. You're going to do great things with that theater, I know."

Simpson shook JT's hand.

"Thanks, Mr. Simpson," JT responded, relieved and pleased by the man's reaction.

"Any chance of a friends and family discount rate?" the teacher asked.

JT laughed.

"No promises."

"Going corporate already," Simpson joked. "That wasn't supposed to happen for at least a week. See you two later."

"It's nice to know that at least your dad's happy for me," JT said to Emma once Simpson had left the room to go get some lunch. "I only wish that you could feel the same way."

"I suppose you could go and try to find Ellie Nash at the piercing shop, tattoo parlor or other favorite hang-outs of self-involved pseudo-punk children such as herself. Maybe she'll be able to comfort you, since you apparently enjoy her company so much."

"So you ARE jealous."

"That's true, JT," Emma replied sarcastically. "You caught me. I am extremely jealous. You see, I'm one of those people who can never find a good rubber band when I need one, and we all know she doesn't have that problem. So I wish I could be her."

"Nice. That's really nice, Emma. I'll see you later."

Annoyed, JT grabbed his bookbag and left the room. A few moments later, Emma left as well.

"We should do something," Liberty said to Patrick as they continued to sit in the classroom.

"My thoughts exactly. About lunch…"

"No, I mean we should do something about them."

"The best thing we can do is stay out of their business."

"How can you say that Patrick? You were the one who suggested to me that we help get them together last Fall."

"That's because getting together romantically was clearly what they both wanted, but they were having a difficult time getting up the nerve to talk to each other about it. So we helped make an opportunity where they'd gladly deal with one another rather than put up with either of us, since we were pretending to be the dates from Hell. But we can't go around refereeing just because they're having a disagreement about something. Couples fight sometimes. I don't think they've even had a real fight as a couple until now. They'll work it out."

"But…"

"And if they don't," Patrick continued, "then that's also up to them. Not me. And certainly not you."

"What do you mean 'certainly' not me?"

"Let's just say I don't think you could look at the situation objectively."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you'll take a side. And for you, when one of those sides happens to belong to JT, all your objectivity goes out the window."

"In case you hadn't noticed, they're both my friends."

"I know. But when in doubt, you're going to go with your heart. And your heart will always lean toward him, no matter what."

"Do you know how laughable that is, Patrick? JT is my best friend. I stopped having romantic notions about him a long time ago. In case you've forgotten, I was even in a relationship with Roger that lasted for quite awhile."

"I'm not saying you're in love with JT or anything. I wasn't around back when you felt that way about him, so I can't say what you were like, but I truly believe you gave up on that. I know you care about JT and Emma staying together, so it's obvious you want things to work for them."

"Then what's your point?"

"That even though you're not in love with him, you hold him up on this pedestal and compare every other guy to him. None of us stands a chance with you because you're looking for a JT substitute. Someone who's just like him, that you can have for your very own."

"Patrick, I hope you're not planning to major in psychology because that is the most preposterous theory I have ever heard…and that's taking into account all the years I've had to listen to Manny's thoughts about life."

"Then prove me wrong, Liberty. Go out with me sometime. And I don't mean as friends. I'm talking a real date."

"First, I have nothing to prove. Second, I told you weeks ago that I didn't think it would be a good idea for us to date. We work better as friends."

"And third," Patrick interjected, "you're afraid that you WOULD have a good time with me. And since I'm not a carbon copy of JT, if you really enjoyed yourself with me then you might have to start letting go of this idea that you should have your own personal JT-type, and accept what someone else can offer. We both know that you don't like that possibility."

There was a moment of silence between them until Liberty finally spoke.

"So what you're saying, Patrick, is that you aren't going to help me get these two to communicate properly."

"That's all you took from this conversation?"

"That, as well as the possibility that I owe JT an apology. If I was as unwilling to accept his refusal to date me back then as you are with me in the present, then it's no wonder he used to find me annoying at times."

Liberty grabbed her books and started toward the door just as Sean came into the lab to get some work done on one of the computers.

"Hi Liberty."

"No time to exchange pleasantries, Cameron. I'm a woman on a mission."

She then left the room while Sean took a seat at one of the terminals.

"That's what I like about her," he said to nobody in particular. "She always makes time to give people a cheerful greeting."

* * *

**Notes:** Thanks for the great feedback on Chapter 38.

luvdegrassi12345 – I hope so, too.  
Agel15 – Thanks. I'm glad you were able to get caught up.  
fcms1163 – Yes, that message ended up causing more trouble rather than helping.  
Neviegirl – Glad to see you're still reading.  
spider-man-fan – Thanks. Ellie didn't expect to hug him, either. Thus, her follow-up shyness and attempt to apologize.  
unleashmysoul – Welcome! It's always nice to hear from new readers. It's great that you kept reading nonstop until you finished the most recent chapter. As you can now see, Patrick hasn't been forgotten.


	40. I’m A Believer

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** Just a reminder of what was stated in the note preceding Chapter 1 – All episodes that came after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. The only similar content is that Simpson regained his health at some point during the time after those 2 episodes and before Chapter 1. Thus, the Sean/Ellie relationship didn't happen and is not part of continuity as far as this story is concerned. So Emma's dislike of Ellie isn't Sean-related.

Thanks to **PsYcHoJo**, **YellyBelly**, **Neviegirl**, **kristine** and **almost-never** for all the great feedback.

****

Chapter 40 - I'm A Believer

After leaving Simpson's classroom, Liberty walked quickly – but calmly – toward her newspaper office. As she anticipated, when she looked through the window she saw JT sitting alone at her computer, staring off into space.

"Have you been waiting long?" Liberty asked him after opening the door.

"Huh?" JT asked, having lost his train of thought. "Oh. Hey Liberty. Waiting? No, I was just…busy. Figured nobody would need the room."

"Busy?" she asked, looking doubtful.

"Yeah. Busy. You know me, I've always got something going on."

"So what are you busy doing?"

"Doing? Oh. Right."

JT, suddenly on the spot without an answer, thought for a moment as Liberty looked on.

"Okay," JT finally said. "Isn't it obvious?"

"What would that be?" Liberty asked, trying not to smile.

"A screen saver," he declared, pointing toward her computer.

"Okay…"

"I've been promising for years to fix you a screen saver of Raditch puking green slime while his head spins around in circles. You know, so he could be like that girl in 'The Exorcist.'"

Liberty finally started to laugh.

"With only a couple months of school left," JT continued, "I figured I'd better get it done while there's still time."

Liberty walked toward him and saw that the computer wasn't even turned on.

"Or perhaps you simply needed a break from everything?" she suggested, noticing that he had a lost expression on his face. "Would you like to talk, JT?"

JT nodded in the affirmative, but then didn't say anything for several moments.

"Do you think I'm crazy, Liberty?" he finally spoke up to ask.

"Absolutely," she replied with a smile.

"Gee, thanks. Care to spend more than two seconds considering your answer first?"

"Crazy in all the good ways, JT."

"Oh. Well, good. And you don't think my upcoming purchase is ridiculous?"

"I already said this morning when you told me the news that I'm happy for you. It's exactly the kind of exciting challenge you thrive on. It was sudden, but not completely unexpected."

"How's that?"

"Remember when we were at the steak house?"

"How can I forget?"

"Do you recall what I said about you?"

"I remember you described me as your adorable popcorn kernel," JT replied, rolling his eyes.

"True, but I also bragged about how someday you were going to own your own theater."

"Yeah, I remember that too."

"My behavior that evening," Liberty continued, "was purposefully over-the-top in the hope that you'd turn your attention toward communicating with Emma. Even so, I wasn't kidding when I made that particular statement. I've felt for some time that this was one of your career options. I didn't expect you to pursue it – or any career – this soon, but I know you are more than capable of meeting the challenge."

JT smiled.

"Although my having faith in you shouldn't come as a surprise."

"It doesn't," JT agreed.

"Emma has that same faith, JT. And then some."

"I've always thought so, but…"

"She believes in you. She'll come around. Now you need to show her that you believe in her."

"What are you talking about, Liberty?"

"Tell me, JT…What sort of comments did she make when you first discussed with her the idea of buying the theater?" Liberty asked knowingly. "After all, I'm certain she was able to voice her concerns before you approached your boss about the purchase. Right?"

"Well…um…not exactly."

"Oh?"

"She was at home asleep. I was at Ryan's thinking. There really wasn't a lot of time. And before you know it, it happened. The deal was available and I took it."

"I see," Liberty responded, having already assumed that JT, in his eagerness, made this move without stopping to consult Emma.

"I knew she'd be disappointed about my canceling out on university, but still…"

"JT, we've known each other for quite awhile. I'd say we're good friends. Great friends. Wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Then I think that it's time I finally told you those three little words. The ones that mean so much."

JT looked confused.

"Liberty, I…"

"Just know that it comes straight from my heart, JT," she interrupted.

"Um…"

"JT…" Liberty began, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're. An. Idiot."

Meanwhile, Emma was alone at a table in the school cafeteria staring at her untouched bowl of fruit salad when Manny approached.

"Having lunch alone today, Em, or do you want some company?"

"I don't mind," Emma replied, giving a half-smile.

"How's your day going so far?" Manny asked while placing her tray on the table and sitting down.

"I've had better."

"Let me guess," Manny said after taking a bite of her sandwich. "The talk didn't go so well."

"The talk?"

"The talk that you and JT were going to have this morning in order to clear the air."

"Should I even bother to ask how you know we talked before we went to Math?" Emma asked.

"Sean mentioned it during MI. Remember, we have that class together the period before you and JT."

"I didn't realize that you and Sean were the new gossip duo of Degrassi. Tell me, Manny – which one of you plays the role of Paige and which one is Hazel?"

"We take it in turns…hon."

"Funny. Anyway, I know you've stopped giving Sean a hard time, Manny, but what's up with you two talking about me and JT?"

"Look, Sean told me that JT's buying TMD and that the news didn't go over so well with you. He said JT was planning to work things out with you today and that when I saw you I might want to make sure you had given JT a chance to have his say."

"Oh, he asked you to do that, did he?" Emma asked, annoyed.

"He was concerned, wanting things to go well for both of you. Especially for JT. I think Sean's trying to play the part of protective older brother to him or something. Anyway…well…Sean and I both know that you can overreact sometimes."

"Overreact?" Emma frowned.

"Just a little."

"Overreact! That's a laugh. Ha! Let me say it again. Ha!"

"Emma…"

"Overreact… I never overreact. Anyone who would think that I could ever overreact is…"

Emma then looked at Manny, who was rolling her eyes.

"Fine. Maybe I do have a tendency to overreact. On occasion."

"That's all I'm saying, Em."

"JT was really coming over toward me this morning to work things out?"

Manny nodded her head, causing Emma to sigh.

"And before he could say more than a couple of words, I tore into him about not calling last night. Manny, I swear sometimes my brain must be on a 10-second delay, never quite catching up to what my mouth has already started saying."

"I can believe that," Manny replied, but then smiled which in turn made Emma smile.

"Last night after thinking about it for awhile as well as talking it through with Archie, I was starting to get used to the idea of JT owning the place, but then he didn't return my phone call so I got annoyed all over again when I saw him today. Then he has that friendship with Ellie Nash, and she's apparently giving him the kind of support as a friend that I should have been giving as his girlfriend."

"Wait. Back up, Em. JT and Ellie are friends?" Manny asked in surprise.

"For a year or two. Crazy, isn't it? With him working at the theater and her stopping in regularly to see movies, I suppose that's how they connect. I've never had much use for her. To think that a bright woman like Caitlin would ever consider that girl worthy of a research job, even a part-time one. That girl is so pathetic, Manny. She seems to think that wearing some black clothing every once in awhile makes her this deep person."

"I never would have guessed that you weren't fond of her," Manny said sarcastically.

"But JT seems to enjoy his occasional conversations with the little wannabe member of the dark side, so I leave it alone. I don't try to pick JT's friends for him."

In response, Manny made exaggerated coughing sounds.

"Hey," Emma protested, "I never said I didn't try to pick his girlfriends on occasion in the past. But not his friends."

"Fair enough," Manny accepted. "But you need to forget about her, Emma. Or do you want to go into some jealous frenzy because JT has good friendships with girls. Because if so, you're going to need more hours in the day since he's friends with Ellie, Liberty, me, Paige…"

"Manny," Emma interrupted coldly, "when is it going to sink into your head what a joke it is for you to give me advice about how to manage a relationship with JT? Anytime JT ever looked your way, you acted like you had about as much use for him as a blind man has for a big-screen TV. So don't pretend that you have anything worthwhile to say on the subject."

The two young women looked at one another in silence, with Emma expecting Manny's comeback comment.

"It's going to be okay, Em," Manny finally said, calmly breaking the silence and refusing to turn the conversation into a confrontation.

"I trust him more than I do anybody, Manny," Emma quietly explained. "I'm not jealous of anyone, including Ellie. Especially Ellie. I just hate that I wasn't there for him like I should have been. That we've had all this miscommunication during the last two days."

"Ellie, me, Sean, Liberty and whoever else…we can tell JT how happy we are for him, and he's glad to hear it because he knows that his friends are supporting him. But you're still the one he wants to hear it from the most."

"I'm sorry about before, Manny. That was a stupid thing for me to say."

"You're forgiven," Manny replied. "After finally getting you back as a friend a few months ago, there's no way one comment could mess that up. Just like a couple of bad days isn't going to destroy the most stable couple around here. It's just that since you and JT got together, you two aren't used to arguing over anything more serious than what to eat for dinner."

"I know. Even in class a few minutes ago, as annoyed as I was with him, my heart just about melted when Archie told JT how proud he was of him. JT had this look in his eyes…I don't know if I can even explain it. It was like he had gotten his father's approval and knew it was all going to be okay. Genuine, heartfelt approval that should be a constant in his life but for the fact that his own father is such worthless scum. So to get this positive reaction from Archie, whom JT respects like a father…it was obvious by looking at JT just how much that meant to him. He was so happy that I just wanted to grab him and hug him tight and not let go."

"But…" Manny interjected.

"But…instead I let things get out of hand and told him he should look to Ellie for comfort."

"Good job, Emma," Manny said sarcastically.

"I know. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Feel free to interrupt at any time, Manny."

"No, that about sums it up."

"True enough," Emma agreed.

"Look, no matter what's been going on the last couple of days, you still love him, right?"

"That's a ridiculous question, Manny."

"Then give me a ridiculous answer."

"Of course I still love him. More and more every day. Even on those occasions when I want to wring his neck. And I believe in him."

"Then work it out. Talk without letting it get out of hand. And when that's done, enjoy the best part of getting through the argument."

"And that is…?"

"Making up," Manny grinned.

Back in the newsroom, Liberty's declaration caught JT off-guard.

"Those are the three little words you had in mind? The words straight from the heart?"

"Afraid so," Liberty replied.

"Great. Just what I wanted to hear."

"No, but it's what you needed to hear. Relax, JT. It's not an ongoing thing; merely temporary."

"I see. Hope you're not expecting a fee for this counseling session."

"Come on, JT. You know how gung-ho Emma has been about university. But once you decided that you wanted to do something else, you didn't even mention your plan to her, much less discuss it in detail. You went right ahead and made this enormous decision that's going to have a major impact on your life, which naturally means it will have quite an effect on Emma's life as well.

"The two of you don't have some trivial high-school romance that's going to be discarded the moment you graduate. You've both made it abundantly clear that this relationship is much more than that. One that's going to last. As a result, you should have given her much more consideration when it came to making this huge commitment to TMD. Even though it's still ultimately your decision to make, she deserved the opportunity to discuss it with you before it became a done deal."

Liberty noticed that, though JT wasn't saying anything, he was processing her words and seemed to understand what she was getting at.

"Don't worry, though, JT. Emma's not blameless, either. It hasn't escaped my attention that in her eagerness to share the college experience with you, she hasn't appeared to give you much room to voice a differing opinion. I think, deep down, Emma has known that her plan wasn't what you wanted, but she thought that if she kept moving forward you would eventually come around to her way of thinking. You both want the best for one another, which is why I know this situation is easily fixable."

After a moment, JT finally broke the silence.

"Got it. Point taken."

"Glad to hear it."

"No need to get insulting, though," JT joked.

"Drastic times, drastic measures. You're far from an idiot, JT. You're bright, caring and extremely enthusiastic. This was more like a temporary blind spot."

JT laughed, leaving Liberty relieved that her momentary harshness earlier was accepted in the helpful spirit that she intended it.

"I wasn't trying to shut her out. At least not on purpose. I do believe in her and trust her, and I still want to talk to her – if we can actually have a conversation this week without anyone getting mad, jealous or walking away."

"It will all work out, JT. I know you. You'll make sure it works out if it's the last thing you do. But I don't think it will take that long."

"You knew I would be in here, didn't you?" he then asked.

"I had a hunch," Liberty replied.

"You made a lot of sense."

"That doesn't surprise you, I trust."

"Not at all. I had a hunch, also. Why do you think I ended up in here? I figured you'd show up eventually."

"So I suppose I can forget about actually getting a puking, spinning Raditch screen saver. Whether missing out on that is good or bad, I haven't yet decided."

They laughed, and then Liberty looked at her watch.

"There's still plenty of time left before the next class," Liberty told him. "Plenty of time for you to locate her and for the two of you to begin talking."

JT reached down and picked up his bookbag from the floor and then stood up.

"I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding her, JT."

"That's right," he agreed. "I shall leave no stone – or girls restroom – unturned."

"I hope that's not the slogan for your first official ad campaign," a voice spoke from the doorway.

JT and Liberty turned toward the door and saw Emma standing at the entryway.

"Granted, it's a unique approach – spot checks of the girls room by the male owner, but still…" Emma continued, walking hesitantly into the room.

"Hey Emma," JT greeted, happy to see her but nervous in his desire that nothing bad happen.

"Hi," she replied.

"I'm glad you're here, Emma," Liberty said, "because there are a few things I want to say to you as well. For starters…"

"Liberty," JT interrupted. "Don't worry about it."

"Hey, I lectured you, so it's only fair that I give Emma equal time."

"It's okay, Liberty," Emma said. "Manny already beat you to it."

"Manny as in Manny Santos?" Liberty asked in disbelief.

"That would be the one," Emma replied.

"She was helpful? AND she made sense?"

"Yes to both questions."

"Obviously this is one of those signs of an impending apocalypse," Liberty concluded. She then noticed that JT and Emma were looking at one another. "I think I'll grab a quick bite to eat and leave the two of you to talk."

"Thanks, Liberty," JT said as she was about to leave the room. "For everything."

"Just remember that both of you need to shut up and listen to one another," Liberty instructed the pair.

"Will do," JT said.

"Of course, if you're both listening, that would mean neither of you is saying anything. So scratch that. Take turns shutting up and listening to one another."

"We got it," Emma responded.

"Except you shouldn't fight over who has to shut up first. I suppose you could flip a coin, but then you'd probably argue over who gets to decide between heads or tails."

JT and Emma grinned at one another as Liberty kept talking.

"I suppose you could try the 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' method, but I've always found it rather silly looking when done by anyone over the age of 5. So I'd suggest…"

"Liberty!" JT finally stopped her. "We'll figure it out."

"Oh," she responded. "Right. Okay then. I'll just shut this door for you."

Liberty then left the room, shutting the door behind her.

"So," Emma began nervously, "how have you been, JT?"

"I've been okay. Got married. Had a couple of kids. Hellooo…it's only been about ten minutes since we last saw each other."

"Right. Of course."

They both laughed slightly.

"How did you know I'd be in here?" JT asked.

"First I went back to the MI lab. When I didn't see you, I asked if anyone in there had any idea. Sean wasn't sure, and Patrick just grumbled something about Liberty that I couldn't understand. I took a chance that one or both of you might be here."

"Smart thinking," JT responded. "As usual."

"Thanks, though I don't know how smart I've really been these last couple of days."

"And now, here we are."

"Here we are," Emma repeated. "Feel like talking for awhile?"

"We're good at that. At least usually. You don't think we've lost our touch, do you, Emma?"

"Not a chance, JT. This…these last couple of days…it's just a tiny blip on the radar. Far from the norm."

"Okay, then." JT said as he put his bookbag back down on the floor. "Let's try this again."


	41. The Way Things Used To Be

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** My thanks to **NotBreathing**, **antiIRONY**, **PsYcHoJo**, **fcms1163**, **YellyBelly**, **almost-never**, **spider-man-fan**, **kristine**, **unleashmysoul** and **Neviegirl** for the continued reviews and encouragement.

****

Chapter 41 - The Way Things Used To Be

On a late-summer morning roughly 5 1/2 years ago, young Emma Nelson – having walked over to the park – found JT Yorke sitting still on a swing, staring intently at his watch. She quietly walked up behind him.

"Still having trouble learning how to tell time?" she joked.

"Very funny," he replied, not startled by her sudden appearance. He then turned his head around to face her. "Took you long enough."

Emma walked around past JT and took a seat on the swing beside him.

"Since when are you concerned with punctuality, either your own or anyone else's?" she questioned. "It took me a few extra moments convincing my mom that I'd be fine before I could leave. I promised her that I wouldn't go looking for any more crazy people. But here I am with you, so I guess I lied to her."

"Keep trying, Emma. One day you'll say something clever."

Emma smiled. She knew that being there, trading teasing remarks with JT, meant things were normal and she would be okay.

"So what did you want to see me about?" Emma asked. "As if I didn't know."

"You said you convinced your mom that you were okay," he responded.

"Yeah."

"But are you?"

"Still a little shaky, but like I told you last night on the phone, I'm all right. Jordan didn't get the chance to do anything. Mom's friend, that Mr. Simpson guy, got to the hotel and took care of him before anything could happen."

"Insane," JT commented.

"I know, I know," Emma said. "You don't have to tell me that I'm nuts. I know you tried to warn me about trusting some Internet perv. Manny tried to warn me. Even that camp friend of yours who barely knows me tried to warn me. So you don't have to say 'I told you so' because I know I'm insane."

"Uh, Emma, I just meant the whole situation was insane. Not to mention that Jordan guy. Not you."

"Oh…sorry. Guess maybe I overreacted."

"I mean, you've always been a little crazy, Emma," JT smirked, "but that's got nothing to do with what happened yesterday."

"You know what I like about you, JT?"

"What's that?"

"Oh, you mean you can't think of anything either?"

"Hardy, har, har."

Then they both laughed.

"So you're really okay?" JT asked, now sounding more serious.

"JT…"

"Look, you can hide it from your mom, and Manny always looks for the happy ending in everything so I bet she'd miss something, but this is me you're talking to – the other half of the Two Musketeers. You're okay?"

"Fine, JT. Promise."

He looked at her and knew she meant it.

"Good," he responded, now feeling more reassured than he had after their phone conversation the night before.

"Maybe a little disappointed," Emma added. "I thought I was about to get my first boyfriend."

"Hey, look on the bright side. Even if he had been the age he made you think he was, he would still be too old for you. It could never work."

"This from the boy who thinks he's in a relationship with the 19-year-old waitress at The Dot."

"I'm working on it. These things take time. But I think she's falling for my charms. Every time I'm in there, she always smiles at me and offers to get me anything I want. I'm telling you, the woman is crazy about me."

"The woman is doing her job."

"Don't be jealous, Emma."

"In your dreams. And you still haven't said why it's okay for you to chase after a 19-year-old woman but bad for me to be interested in someone who – if he wasn't a lying freak – would have been 16."

"Because it's cool for a guy to get with an older woman. But when a girl wants an older guy, that's just gross. That's the way it's always been. I didn't make up the rules, I just try to live by them."

"You're a pig, JT."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Emma sighed. From the time they were little, even when she wanted to be annoyed with JT, he could always make her want to laugh.

"If this Toby kid is anything like you," Emma commented, "then this school year is going to be very scary."

"That reminds me…the movie 'Total Annihilation' opens today. Me and Toby are going over to the mall to watch it this afternoon. Call Manny and we can all go. Nothing like zombies, blood and guts to get your mind off of everything."

"A movie sounds like a good idea, JT. But how about something else, maybe with a little romance?"

"I think there's supposed to be a kissing scene between two of the zombie creatures."

"Not exactly what I had in mind."

"Let me guess, Emma. You want one of those movies where they all say things like 'I am you. You are me. We are one with the universe. Now let's do it.'"

Emma laughed.

"And the guys in the movie will all have their shirts off at least half the time," JT added.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Emma replied, using JT's own words against him.

"You like to go on and on about equal rights. How about you fight for a worthy cause?"

"And that would be…?" Emma asked, rolling her eyes in anticipation.

"It's not fair that we're always stuck seeing bare chests of guys in the movies," JT explained. "We never get to see the bare chests of any of the women. That's reverse sex discrimanotorianism or something."

"Could you repeat that, JT? You were talking, but the only thing I could understand you say was 'Oink.'"

"So we're agreed on seeing 'Total Annihilation.' Just get Manny to agree and that will make it anonymous."

"You mean unanimous," Emma corrected.

"That too."

"But isn't it R-rated? They wouldn't let us in."

"It's not," JT replied. "But even if it was, I could find a way to get us in."

"Not another elaborate scheme…"

"I could come up with something. And even if that didn't work, there's always bribery."

"Bribery?"

"My dad says that bribery is sometimes the best way to get what you want in life."

"Your dad says a lot of things, JT," she said, frowning.

"I don't know why you don't like him, Emma."

"I've never said I disliked your dad," young Emma said, knowing her words were only technically true. She didn't like the man, but hadn't specifically said so to JT. "He just seems…cold. Different from your mom."

"I know it looks like he doesn't say much or do stuff with us. He's just real busy a lot of the time, that's all. But he still makes time to joke around."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Like when I got back from camp, I overheard him tell my mother how he was sorry camp was over so soon because it was nice that they could have the house alone for a week. He said it was just like the good old days before I was born."

Emma, disturbed by this, started to say something, but JT continued.

"It sounded strange, so I asked my mother about it later. She smiled and said that it was just him joking around. That I shouldn't pay any attention to what he says. You think maybe he's where I get my sense of humor from?"

"No!" Emma said without hesitation. "I…uh…mean that your humor is all yours. You're in a class by yourself. And he…well, he's not like anyone else either."

'And thank goodness you're nothing like him, JT,' Emma thought but kept to herself.

"I guess that makes sense," JT said.

"But your mom is right. Don't take anything he says seriously, okay?"

"Sounds like you're the one who's being all serious now, Emma."

"Just promise. And tell me if he ever says anything mean to you."

"He's my dad, Emma. He says things like that, but he wouldn't mean any of it."

Emma stared at him.

"Fine, Emma. I promise not to let anything he says bother me. Just relax already."

'Someday,' she thought, 'his dad and I are going to have a long talk. Sure, JT can be too silly for his own good a lot of the time, but nobody gets to make fun of him but his friends – and only because he knows that's just kidding around with him. And he does the same thing with us.'

"So are we all going to the movie today or what?" JT broke Emma out of her thoughts.

"I already know I'm going to regret it, but I'm in. I'll call Manny later and we can all meet at my house then catch the bus."

"Good. Zombie carnage, here we come."

"JT, someday you're going to outgrow those ridiculous creature movies."

"Bite your tongue, girl."

"You like those old comedies that sometimes come on TV. I'm surprised you don't ever go to that theater a few blocks from here that shows all of those kind of films. It's not the great new stuff with the big stars, but it's got to be better than something like 'Total Annihilation.'"

"I think that place only shows the oldies on the weekend. And anyway, why go and pay to watch something I can see on TV for free? No, Emma, the mall has all the best movies. I can't imagine spending money on something old."

"Your old-age waitress will be heartbroken to hear that."

"You're a laugh riot," JT said sarcastically.

"Having trouble keeping up with the jokes today, JT?"

"Now who's dreaming? Everyone knows I can out-funny anyone in this neighborhood. Just like I can out-swing you."

"You? Out-swing me? On THIS planet?"

"I've always been able to swing higher."

"Now that IS funny, JT."

"Then prove me wrong."

"You're on."

They both began swinging back and forth. JT turned his head toward Emma as they continued.

"Hey Emma!"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're okay."

Emma, still swinging, looked back at him.

"I'm glad you're okay, too."

"But I'm still going to beat you at this," they both said in unison, which made them laugh.

* * *

Fast-forward to the present, where JT and Emma stood facing one another in the newspaper office within DCS.

"There's so much I want to say," Emma told him, "yet it's hard to know where to begin."

"I know how you feel," JT agreed. He knew he probably should have had a snappy comeback ready instead, but despite Liberty's earlier encouragement he was nervous about how this conversation would go.

"All right," Emma continued. "First let me say in no uncertain terms that I am not now – nor have I ever been – jealous of Ellie Nash."

"Okay."

"That said, I've never had much use for her."

"I've noticed," JT responded.

"She has an awful personality. She belongs in some dark, smoke-filled coffee shop reading bad poetry about how all life is meaningless, while some guy sits in the corner playing the bongos. And I don't think I'll ever know what Caitlin had in mind keeping her on staff, even part-time, when she could have been rid of her once the whole co-op deal was over. Caitlin could have done much better with anybody else working as her research assistant."

"Like you, for instance?" JT questioned.

"Like anyone. I'm sure that to Ellie it's just a job. I bet she doesn't really care about any of the subjects she's done research on."

"Interesting opinion there, Emma. Hope you don't mind if I disagree."

"She's your friend. A peculiar choice, but so be it. We can agree to disagree about her. Just know that I'm not jealous of her."

"Good. There's no reason for you to be. Anyway, I can't imagine her thinking about me in any way besides friendship."

"That's good to know. Although if she did have those feelings, at least it would show she has a certain amount of good taste. God…Would you listen to me?…Going on and on AGAIN. You must get so annoyed with me sometimes."

"Emma, I've known you practically my whole life. The batteries in your Chatty Cathy doll used to wear out long before you ever did. Don't start worrying about talking too much at this point. If you could maybe ease up on the insults against my friend, though – at least when you're around me – that would be good. After all, you're probably going to make friends with some really strange people at that university, and I bet you won't want me questioning your sanity about it."

"Point taken. But what makes you think any new friends I make would be strange?" she asked as she proceeded to sit up on the table beside Liberty's computer.

"Simple. You're an oddball-magnet, Emma," JT replied while sitting back down in the chair next to the table. "No doubt about it."

"Hey!"

"But I say that as the top oddball in your life."

Emma laughed.

"You seem to know the right things to say, JT. Often in spite of yourself, but still…"

"Cute," he replied sarcastically.

"What I'm saying is that you know how to deal with people – even talkative, alleged oddball-magnets like myself. That's a good quality for a boyfriend to have. It's also a good quality in a boss. One of many reasons you're going to be a great boss once you're officially the theater's new owner."

JT looked at her in surprise.

"Don't look so shocked," she smiled. "I've known all along that you'd be good at this. My argument has been about your timing, not your ability. I've told you as much. But given my overall attitude, I suppose it's easy to see why you might have forgotten that part of what I've been saying."

"Which made me crazy enough to not even bother listening to all of your phone message."

"In the part you missed out on, I said that I wanted you to call me back last night because I wanted to hear all about your plans. The plans you never got to finish telling me because I kept shutting you down. If there's a real reason for me to be mad at Ellie where you're concerned, it's that she was giving you the encouragement which should have been coming from me."

"You were just going with what you believe," JT responded.

Emma got down off the table and stood next to where he was sitting and looked into his eyes.

"What I believe in, JT, is you. And as much as I'd enjoy having you with me on campus, and as well as I know you'd do if you were there, I realize that you've got an even better idea about what's best for you. I'm sorry I've been so slow to listen to you."

"Emma…"

"No, I want – no, I need – to apologize. If anyone had kept after me like that, trying to push me into doing something that I felt wasn't right for me, I'd have been in full attack mode. All things considered, you've shown a lot of patience."

"Maybe a little, mixed in with some stupidity."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not the only one who needs to give an apology," JT explained as he stood up. "I went out yesterday morning and made arrangements to buy a business. Just like that. Didn't hesitate for a moment."

"You knew what you wanted and went for it. Nothing new. And nothing wrong with it."

"I also didn't bother to run it past you. Very dumb."

"It's not like you needed my permission."

"I know, but still… This is a big thing, and you should have been in on it with me. Right from the start. Even if you were against the idea, you should have known about it before it became a done deal."

"Okay, I admit, that did bother me a little."

JT stared at her.

"Okay, maybe more than a little."

"I'm sorry about that, Emma. Not that I bought TMD – that, I'm very happy about – but sorry that I did it without letting you know once I decided to go after it."

"You're forgiven if I'm forgiven," she replied. "No, I take that back."

"What?"

"You're forgiven even if I'm not forgiven."

"You're definitely forgiven," he assured her.

Emma reached out a hand and took one of JT's in hers.

"Much better," JT said, smiling.

"What's that?"

"It's just that last night I was holding your hand and telling you my good news and you pulled your hand back. You hadn't done that before. You pulled away like you had just touched something disgusting."

"I was upset, JT. Mad. But I didn't mean for you to take it that way."

She squeezed his hand.

"Anyway," Emma countered, "you practically pushed me out the door a few minutes later."

"It didn't look like there was anything else to say. At least not right then. But I shouldn't have let things end like that. And then today, I'm the one that left the MI lab instead of us just finishing the conversation. And the more I think about it…how I've been acting…God, Emma…I'm turning out to be just like him."

"Him who?"

JT just looked at her, his expression growing more and more troubled. Emma then realized what he meant.

"No, JT. Put that right out of your mind. You are NOT turning into your so-called father. You are nothing like that guy."

"It's probably a personality inheritance or something."

"I don't think it works that way."

"But it makes sense, Emma. He was always more focused on business than family, and on going after what he wanted whether his loved ones had an objection or not. Neither of my parents would ever really argue; they'd just walk away, try to forget about it and never deal with anything. I don't remember him even getting angry – at me or anyone. He'd just make some sarcastic comments and take off."

"Okay, first off, you're buying this place because it's something you truly want and despite my initial concerns, I'm with you 100 percent. You're not steamrolling over me.

"And as far as the possibility of you focusing all your attention on running the business, don't worry. Regardless of how things have been this week, I really do know you – at least as well as you know yourself, if not better. If anyone has a built-in system for knowing how to balance work and fun, it's you. You're not going to neglect me or your friends or anything else you care about just because you have something new going on. Besides, the rest of us wouldn't let you get away with it anyway."

They both laughed slightly, easing the tension.

"Next," she continued, "your sarcastic comments are never cruel. Hey, most of them are even funny."

JT smiled at that last comment. He had always believed that Emma was funnier than she gave herself credit for.

"But when you get serious," she continued, "you're not nearly as sarcastic as when you're in a good mood. And you're almost always in a good mood. So that's different from him.

"And last, we may have spent some time apart last night and today, but you at least tried to talk to me before Math. I'm the one who got us going on Round 2 by complaining about your not calling. And we're here now, talking things out, settling our differences and forgiving one another. So you definitely believe in dealing with situations and resolving them.

"I think we're more like my folks in that they butt heads sometimes but they believe in what they have and are always willing to fight to make it better – even when it means sometimes fighting with each other. We're not going to become like your folks and never deal with the problem areas. If nothing else, we're both way too stubborn to give up on an argument."

"I never want to be like him, Emma. So cold. Uncaring."

"You're not going to, Jamie. I promise."

"You make it sound so simple."

"That's because it is," she assured him. "You're you and he's…well, we both know what he is. You couldn't be like him even if you tried. It's not in you to be like that. I don't ever want you to think otherwise."

"I hate arguing with you, Emma, but I'd rather do that sometimes than just let things go on like everything is always fine even when it's not."

"I agree. Lucky for us, we usually don't have much to fight about. And we always work it out…even if it takes us a couple of days to come to our senses."

Still holding Emma's hand, JT pulled her closer to him. He then slowly removed his hand from hers and wrapped his arms around her. In silence they looked into one another's eyes before he finally spoke.

He quietly said the words "I love you, angel" and then kissed her. They continued to kiss for several moments thereafter. In due time, the need for more oxygen won out over pleasure and they pulled back.

"I love you, too," Emma told him.

"So we're okay?" JT asked her.

"What do you think? Emma smiled. "This is the beginning of that final stage of arguing known as making up."

"This stage, I like," JT said.

"Yes, we're okay. We're better than okay, Jamie. But…there's one thing you've got to do for me."

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"After you're done with work tonight and before we eat dinner, I want a guided tour of your new business."

"It's not like I bought a new building, Emma. I think by now you've been there often enough to know where everything is."

"But now it's all yours. Or at least it will be in a few more weeks. I want to see the place through your eyes. I want to hear all those things you wanted to tell me last night. What it means to you. What you want to see happen. Everything."

"I'd like that. More than you know."

"Oh, I think I know."

"You're sure you're not going to be disappointed? I mean, I know how much you were hoping…"

Emma quickly interrupted him with another kiss.

"Um," he began again after the kiss ended, "I forget… What was I talking about?"

"About how you were going to tell me all about your dream-come-true."

"You mean my other dream-come-true," he corrected her.

"What?"

"You…you're the first dream that came true."

"JT…"

"Okay, I hope that didn't sound too much like a hokey line from one of those horrible movies you like to drag me to over at the mall."

"Don't worry, JT. It wasn't too heavy on the sap. Your image is safe."

"Good. Wouldn't want you to think I'd been possessed by a corny cliché connoisseur."

"CCC Syndrome? Never! Say, we still have some time if you want to grab some lunch."

"Have you eaten?"

"Some fruit salad."

"Then we most definitely need to head over to the caf."

"I was talking about you getting something to eat, not me."

"But you need more than just some fruit. I'll get me a sandwich and we can split a plate of french fries."

"Great. Clogged artery, here I come."

"But I promise you'll enjoy the journey."

"JT, you're not going to make eating a bunch of greasy fries sound romantic."

"You doubt the effectiveness of my charms, Emma?"

She looked at him standing in front of her with his mischievous grin and she couldn't help but smile.

"Doubt? Never, JT. Never."


	42. I Can See Clearly Now

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to **Maibe Josie**, **angelinthelight**, **fcms1163**, **Neviegirl**, **GlamGlitterRockFabulous** and **DancinDegrassi** for the Chapter 41 reviews.

**Chapter 42 - I Can See Clearly Now**

Tuesday evening, JT and Emma sat together on the bench across the street from The Movie Difference. They had been sitting out there for several minutes. With his arm around her, they looked over at the building.

"And I think the insides could use a new coat of paint. It looks okay now, but it could always look better. Oh, and maybe I ought to have that worn carpeting replaced with something new so nobody stumbles around. The last thing I want is a trip to Lawsuit City. But the outside still looks good, don't you think?"

"I agree, JT" she replied. "That building's been here for what seems like forever, but it still looks to be in great shape."

"The outside doesn't need a new paint job, but maybe I could get some brighter bulbs for the sign."

"Couldn't hurt."

"But the sign itself is still okay overall. Classy. Not falling apart. I don't see any reason to change the name, either. I mean, it's a good name. It's just a matter of getting the name out there to more people."

"Thinking of doing more advertising?"

"It's possible. More newspaper ads. Hey, maybe even a TV ad. TMD's never had one of those."

"I have an idea. That is, if you want to hear it."

"I'm all ears, Emma…Well, not ALL ears."

"You've advertised in the university newspaper for awhile, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, once classes start this Fall, I could ask around and see if there are any student film clubs, either official or unofficial. They might already know about TMD, but there could be new students from out of town joining such groups who wouldn't know of it. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to let them all – old and new alike - know that the place is under new management. I've heard about film clubs on other campuses and how they're usually filled with students whose movie tastes generally run more independent than mainstream. Around here, TMD serves as an oasis for those kind of film buffs."

"An oasis…Hey, we ought to write that down. That might be a good line to include in an ad sometime. Great idea about the campus club awareness, angel."

"Thanks."

JT then kissed her.

"I tell you, Emma, sitting out here right now is so much better than it was last night."

"Oh? When did…?"

"After you left my place last night."

"You mean after you threw me out."

JT rolled his eyes.

"Kidding," she said smiling.

"I never threw you out. Maybe I strongly encouraged the possibility of you leaving. But that just shows how smart-challenged I can be."

"Don't say that."

"I was kidding, too."

"I know, but don't even kid like that. You are very smart. And even if I didn't already know that, I would now after you've been telling me all about why you wanted to buy this place and what TMD means to you. You said it gives you a sense of importance. While I think you're already important regardless, I understand what you were saying. We all need that in our own way. Anyway, if you weren't smart, you wouldn't have any clue about what you were getting into or how to make plans for your future and the future of this theater. So I don't want you selling yourself short, even as a joke. Okay?"

"You got it."

"Good. Otherwise I'd have to torture you."

"Well now, depending on what kind of torture you had in mind, that could actually be a lot of fun."

"Keep your perv sensor on 'neutral,' JT. I was thinking more along the lines of a triple feature at the mall."

"Hey, that's cruel torture, not fun torture."

They both laughed.

"So you were saying you came out here after I left?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. I just needed to think. I needed to remember that, in spite of everything, arranging to buy this place wasn't a mistake."

"And then you went to see Ellie to get confirmation of that?"

"Maybe. But also just to let her know that I went through with it."

"Did you go to see her in her dorm room?"

"Emma…"

"I'm not asking it like I'm a jealous woman interrogating you. I'm just curious."

"I didn't go to her dorm. We just hung out at one of the places on campus where she likes to study. But even if I had, nothing would have happened. We're friends. Nothing else."

"I wasn't worried."

"Good. Besides, Ashley probably would have been in the dorm with us, which would have canceled out the romantic mood we'd have had going with all the candles and the Barry White music. And even though I always get turned on whenever Ellie starts lip-synching to Barry, I don't think Ashley would have put up with us."

"You're impossible," Emma said, laughing in spite of herself.

"And you're beautiful. Now that we've both stated the obvious, care to grab some dinner?"

"Feel like getting some pizza?"

"Sure," JT replied.

"To go?"

"We could do that."

"It's just that after the last couple of days, I don't feel like sharing my favorite business owner-to-be with the public-at-large. I want you all to myself."

"Always a good thing."

While the happy couple stood and prepared to leave, Sean was driving home from his after-school job at the nearby auto repair shop. He noticed up ahead that there was a car pulled over to the side of the road. He slowed down and, upon recognizing the vehicle, pulled up behind the car and parked.

Getting out of his car, he noticed a familiar figure sitting behind the wheel of the other vehicle. He walked toward the front driver's side of the car and tapped on the window. This prompted a sudden scream from the driver, who then looked out and saw Sean standing outside looking in. The startled driver rolled down the window.

The person behind the wheel? Manny Santos.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked loudly and angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Sean, confused, asked in response.

"Do you always sneak up on people along the side of the road when it starts getting dark?"

"It's not that dark yet. I saw your car. Figured you might be stuck. Sorry for thinking I might be able to help. Anyway, didn't you hear me pull up and park right behind you?"

She looked in her rear-view mirror and noticed his vehicle.

"Oh. Well, no."

"Okay then."

"Still, next time tap your horn or something before you wander over."

"Yes, sir," Sean responded sarcastically.

"Don't try to be funny," Manny said. "It doesn't suit you."

"I'll try to remember that. So what's the problem?"

"Flat tire. I just tried to call someone to come help, but my cell's battery must be down. So I figured I was going to have to take a long walk to find a pay phone."

"What long walk?" he asked. "There's a gas station a few blocks away. We're still in the neighborhood, not the middle of nowhere."

"That's not the point."

"Which tire is it?"

Manny got out of the car and led Sean to the front of the vehicle, pointing him to the damaged front passenger tire.

"I've got some tools in my car," he informed her. "Have you got a spare?"

"The trunk."

"I can have the spare on in a few minutes. If you approve. Or I guess I could always go back and tap on my car horn for awhile."

Feeling more relaxed now, Manny couldn't help but smile in response to his remark.

"No, of course I'd like you to fix it," she then said. "That would be great."

As Sean prepared to change the flat, back at TMD, Patrick was standing alone behind the concession counter cleaning the area when he noticed Liberty enter the building and begin to approach him.

"Hello Patrick," she greeted cheerfully.

"JT's not here," he said in a formal, business-like tone. "He left with Emma awhile ago."

"I see."

"I'm surprised your internal JT Radar didn't pick up on that."

"What's wrong with you tonight, Patrick?" Liberty asked, not expecting his polite but otherwise disinterested tone.

"Nothing. Sorry. Now if you don't mind, I'm kinda busy."

Liberty observed the lack of customers in the concession area.

"Really?" she questioned.

"Both movies just started again. Give the people time to finish their first snack or drink, then they'll be back out here again."

"Don't worry, I won't stay long. However, just so you know, I didn't come here looking for JT. I was hoping to see you."

"Me?" Patrick asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Yes."

"I'm glad to hear that, Liberty."

"I wanted to let you know that, despite your refusal to assist me, I was able to help put things back together for JT and Emma. True, it appears that I have to share the credit with Manny, who it seems had a surprisingly effective conversation with Emma while I was talking with JT."

"That's what you came here to talk about?" he asked, disappointed.

"Don't misunderstand. I realize that it was up to JT and Emma to work things out for themselves. Still, we were instrumental in getting them to the point where they could successfully talk to one another. So you see? Some friendly assistance was useful, even though you thought otherwise."

"So what you're saying is that you were right and I was wrong."

"I wasn't planning to use those particular words, but I suppose that would be a completely accurate summation."

Patrick looked at Liberty for a moment before saying anything else.

"Good," he said.

"I'm glad you're pleased, Patrick."

"Absolutely. I'm glad they decided not to let anything stand in their way. And I'm glad that the situation is resolved. Now maybe you'll be open to re-thinking your opinion about us."

"Us?"

"Without any JT Yorke crises for you to focus on, you can use all that extra energy to open yourself up to the idea of giving a new relationship a chance."

"Patrick…"

"You've got to admit, I'm more fun to have around than that ex of yours Roger."

"Roger was not without his good qualities. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone out with him for all those months."

"And what about me? Do you think I have good qualities?"

"Plenty."

"Good to know."

"Not counting your attitude earlier today, of course."

"Of course," Patrick repeated in a sarcastic tone.

"Look, Patrick, you're a nice person and a reasonably good friend, but…"

"Okay," he interrupted, "would it help if I brought you a signed note from JT saying he gives us his blessing? Would that convince you to take a chance?"

"That's not amusing, Patrick."

"Good. It wasn't meant to be. Listen, Liberty, it's been weeks since that break-up with Roger, so this won't be some kind of rebound thing. You know we have fun together. And even though we haven't known each other all our lives like they have, JT and Emma are proof that two friends can get together and it can work."

"I said what I came here to say," Liberty responded. "So I think I should leave and let you get back to work. I'll see you tomorrow."

Liberty turned to leave, prompting Patrick to quickly walk out from behind the counter and past Liberty, stopping in front of her, forcing her to stop walking.

"What is it now?" she asked.

"Just this."

Patrick then leaned in and kissed her. Moments later when the kiss ended, Liberty was startled and not sure what to say in response.

"That was…"

"Different?" Patrick offered. "Unpredictable?"

"Those are certainly appropriate terms," she agreed.

"And they're two things you used to complain were lacking when you were with Roger, right?"

"That's true. I…I'd better go now."

"Liberty," he called out before she could leave.

"Yes?"

"You didn't pull back."

"Excuse me?"

"When I kissed you…you didn't pull away. Or club me in the head with your purse."

"You're right."

"Does that mean that maybe you really are open to the idea of the two of us…becoming an us…maybe?"

For a moment, she said nothing. Then she smiled.

"Have a good night, Patrick. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait. Is that a Yes?"

"Good night," she said as she kept walking.

Once she was outside, she stopped for a moment.

'I was definitely not expecting him to do that,' she thought. 'I also was not expecting to let it continue the way I did. He gets to me. And I like it.'

Back at Manny's car, Sean finished putting on the spare tire and was putting his tools back in the trunk of his own vehicle while she stood beside him.

"Thanks for your help," she said.

"No problem. Sorry if I scared you the way I just showed up outside your window like that."

"Don't worry about it. I didn't keep you from anything did I?"

"No, I was just going home," Sean replied while shutting his trunk lid.

"I was heading over to Ryan's for dinner," Manny explained. "Want to join me? My treat."

"I'm tired, so I must be hearing things."

"Very funny. We both have to eat. Consider it a 'thank you' for keeping me from being stranded…even if it's not the middle of nowhere. Besides, the two of us were part of another success story today."

"Oh?"

"Your instinct was right this morning, Sean. Things didn't go well at all when JT first tried to talk to Emma, so my talking to her about it at lunch seemed to help, just like you and I hoped. And apparently while I was doing that, Liberty was talking to JT. By the end of lunch, it looked like Emma and JT had gotten everything settled."

"Yeah, I noticed they seemed very much back on track this afternoon. Good for them."

"Absolutely," Manny agreed. "Some people are just meant to be together."

"They're a good team," Sean said. "If you can find someone that you can count on no matter what, a few dumb arguments can't wreck it."

"And," Manny added, "it helps to have a few close friends as back-up to keep those few dumb arguments from becoming serious arguments."

"Yeah. Say, Manny, I think I'm gonna head home."

"But…"

"I want to clean up a little. And change shirts. Between work and the tire change, I'm a mess. I'll meet you at Ryan's in a few minutes."

"Oh. Good. For a moment I thought you were going to bail on me."

"Why would I do that?"

At this point, Manny hoped she wasn't blushing.

"Remember not to drive too fast on that spare," Sean cautioned.

"I won't."

"And bring your car by the shop tomorrow afternoon. I'll put on another tire for you. After all, you shouldn't drive around on the spare for too long."

"Right," she responded. "And it's not like cars come with a spare for your spare. Say, that might not be a bad idea."

"Yes it would."

"Hey! Fine, maybe you're right, but disagree with me too much, and I'm not getting you any dessert."

"I'll risk it," he replied. "It's fun to see you get annoyed."

"Fun?"

"You try to look all angry and tough, but all it does is make you look like you're pouting."

"I didn't know you ever paid that much attention to me to notice my expressions, Sean."

"Who me?"

"Yes you."

"Don't flatter yourself, Manny. I'm just used to you looking annoyed whenever you happen to look my way. At least up until a few weeks ago when you finally stopped looking at me like I'd swipe the gold tooth out of somebody's mouth."

They both laughed.

"Okay, I deserved that," Manny admitted. "I finally decided awhile back that if you, JT and Emma were all able to become good friends despite the past, then there wasn't much reason for me to continue thinking the worst about you. And considering I've had my own past reputation to deal with, maybe I needed to stop acting like I'm the only one who could turn things around."

"I'm glad to hear it, Manny. Really."

"So…Thank-You Dinner. Ryan's Grille. See you in a little while?"

"I'll be there. And again…"

"I know, Sean," Manny stopped him. "I'll be careful driving."

"How did you…?"

"I had a feeling."

"You were right. Anyway, we'd better get going."

They each returned to their respective vehicles and drove away.

Later, at the kitchen table in the Yorke house, JT and Emma had just started eating their pizza.

"Emma, you know I'd do just about anything for you, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well I think it's getting about time I make good on the 'just about' loophole. I can't believe I let you talk me into including pineapple as an extra topping."

"Just try it, JT. All the cool kids are doing it."

"Very funny."

"Anyway, relax. It's not like I'm ever going to ask you to order something insane like anchovies."

"Ah, anchovies. Next time…"

"Not on your life, JT. Unless the idea of me withholding kisses as a form of protest appeals to you."

"Why is it that the sexiest women are always so mean?"

"It's a great system, isn't it?"

JT groaned.

"So how is it?" she asked.

"What?"

"While you've been sitting there complaining about pineapple, you've been eating a slice of pizza that had some on it, and you haven't even made a face."

"Oh. See what a distraction you are for me, Emma?"

"And now you're not going to admit that it's not as bad as you thought. That you might even like it. Right?"

"I admit nothing," he joked, making Emma laugh.

"Jamie?" she spoke up again moments later.

He looked up from his plate and noticed she suddenly looked more serious.

"What is it, Emma?"

"You're taking on a lot with TMD. And I know you can do it, but if you need – or just want – my help, you know you've got it. Always."

"I know. I think your idea about looking into the campus film clubs is great. That will be a lot of help."

"I just…well, I don't want your memories of this new step in your life to be spoiled because of my first reaction. Even with good intentions, I wasn't trying to ruin your moment."

JT reached across the table and grabbed Emma's free hand.

"Don't worry so much, angel. This – right here, right now, complete with pineapple on the pizza – is how I'm going to remember celebrating. And as for how you can help me…Like we talked about at lunchtime, just keep me sane. And fun. Though those two things don't always go together. With you around, everything else always seems to fall into place."

"It's a deal."


	43. Wishing Well

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks for the Chapter 42 feedback.

**Chapter 43 - Wishing Well**

Early Friday afternoon, Ashley and Ellie walked across the university campus heading toward the cafeteria.

"Okay," Ashley said. "After lunch, just one more class and then I'm free until Monday. Tell me again what possessed me to sign up for a course that included showing up on Friday afternoons."

Ellie said nothing as they continued to walk.

"Considering you're done for the day," Ashley spoke again, "you're nice not to gloat over my misfortune."

She noticed that her friend's mind seemed to be elsewhere.

"So, do you know what you're planning to get for lunch, Ell?"

Ellie remained silent.

"Yes, well I'm thinking of exploring my dark side again," Ashley said in the hopes of getting Ellie's attention. "Maybe order some raw meat. Then wash it down with some goat's blood. What do you think about that, Nash?"

"Uh-huh," Ellie finally spoke, though not really paying attention. "Sounds like a plan."

"Earth to Ellie. Do you copy?"

Ellie finally looked over at her friend.

"Huh?" she asked, confused.

"Your body's moving, but I think you left your head someplace else. You haven't been listening to a word I've said."

"Sorry."

"You okay?"

"Of course," Ellie replied. "Why?"

"You've just seemed a little distracted the last few days."

"No I haven't."

"I'm not saying it's been happening all the time, but every once in awhile. It's like sometimes you've just been going through the motions."

"As opposed to my usual bubbly personality?" Ellie asked sarcastically.

"You know what I mean."

"It's nothing, Ash."

"Whenever Ellie Nash says something is nothing, it's something. Spill it."

"It's just…Well…There's this guy."

"I knew it," Ashley said.

"Great, so on top of everything else, I'm predictable."

"No. It's just that the last time I remember you acting this distracted was back when you were bashfully sneaking glances at Marco."

"That was a long time ago."

"So who's the lucky guy? Is it the one you were dreaming about the other morning?"

"Ash…"

"It's Chad, isn't it?"

"You've got to be kidding."

"That blind date I set you up on awhile back went better than you wanted to admit."

"Trust me. It didn't. And I haven't changed my mind about not letting you fix me up ever again. Hey, but who am I to talk? So many of the guys I've met around here are…run of the mill. Why is it that the only guys I ever really connect with are the ones I can't have?"

"God, Ell! This one's not gay too, is he?"

"Shut up," Ellie replied, rolling her eyes.

"Then what's the problem?"

"It would be wrong," Ellie replied

"Approaching someone you like and asking him out is wrong?"

"For a lot of reasons."

"Such as?" Ashley questioned.

"Well…For one thing, I'm not even sure I like him in that way. As more than a friend. I just feel a connection. But having a connection with someone doesn't mean there's anything more to it or that there SHOULD be anything more to it."

"You're protesting a little too much, Ell. So, do I know this friend?"

"He…doesn't go to school here. But we've been friends for awhile."

"Curiouser and curiouser."

"We're different, yet not all that different. He gets me. Ashley, do you know how rare it is for me to find someone like that, friend or otherwise? And I get him, too, I think."

"And how long have you had the crush on this mystery friend?"

"Do NOT call it a crush. I'm not some 12-year-old doodling his name in my notebook."

"You don't have to be like that to have a crush on someone. But okay, how about 'infatuation' instead?"

"I suppose that term isn't completely ridiculous. And the answer is…I'm not sure. I guess it's been building up slowly over time. If I had to pin it down, maybe it started on Christmas Day."

"You were at the house all day with me and my mom. When did you…?"

"I ran into him while I was out jogging that morning. Okay, I didn't literally run into him. You know what I mean. We talked like we usually do. Nothing out of the ordinary. But…I don't know. It was nice. He was nice. Anyway, he's understandably never thought of me as anything but a friend, so this whole discussion is pointless."

"What do you mean by 'understandably?'"

"Nothing."

"Ellie…"

"I meant nothing. I'm just babbling. Don't mind me."

"Well, don't forget we have that party to go to tonight."

"You mean the party that YOU'RE going to," Ellie corrected. "I'm not interested."

"It'll be fun. Why not ask this guy to escort you? If you're nervous, just tell him it's an outing as friends, not a date."

"Again, it would be wrong. And besides that, he's probably working. Or has other plans depending on how things worked out between him and…"

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"Okay, but if you want my advice, you should tell him how you feel."

"I told you that I don't know how I feel."

"Then tell him that. If nothing happens, nothing happens."

"Why are you telling me to do this? You don't even know who I'm talking about."

"I don't need to know…even though I'm curious. You have good judgment. Well, reasonably good judgment, at least. As for why I'm telling you to approach him, well, any guy that's able to distract you and inspire you to dream…that's not someone you should pass up without at least taking a chance."

"But…"

"Anyway," Ashley interrupted Ellie's objection, "if it doesn't pan out, you've still got the friendship with him. And it's not like there isn't a campus full of guys right here, one of whom would surely connect with you if you gave him a fighting chance. You know, rather than deciding the moment you meet someone new that it would never work."

"I don't do that."

"Oh no?"

"I give them at least 30 seconds."

Ashley shook her head.

"Ashley, can I help it if most of them usually say something incredibly stupid right after 'Hello?' Most of the time before they even get to 'Hello.'"

At this point, they reached the outside of the building that housed the cafeteria.

"So, Ell, what's it going to be?"

That evening at TMD, JT was at his desk in the main office studying some papers when Patrick walked in.

"What are you working on?" Patrick asked.

"Looking over some contracts. I want to know how long I have left before it's time to renew the various deals Sal's made. Suppliers. Food services. That sort of thing. I'm going to want to talk to people at each of these companies over the next few months. Maybe I can get us some better deals."

"You're not wasting any time."

"The hardest part of all of this is going to be waiting a few more weeks before the place is all mine," JT explained. "I want to make sure I'm ready so that when the time comes I can hit the ground running."

"You already know this place backwards and forwards," Patrick assured him.

"But I've never been in on the deals."

"Since you've never had much problem taking chances and going after what you want, I think you'll do fine."

"We'll see."

"And since you're good at convincing people to do things, you're sure to get the deals you want."

"Save the kissing up, Pat. For now, Sal's still the one who authorizes raises."

Patrick laughed.

"No kissing up, JT. I just know you have a way of talking people into things, that's all."

"Well, I don't like to brag. Oh wait…Yes I do."

"You haven't given me your reaction yet."

"To what?"

"Liberty and I kissed for the first time Tuesday night."

"Oh?"

"But I'm sure you already know."

"No, I didn't know that."

"Liberty didn't say anything to you about it?"

"It's news to me."

"Oh," Patrick replied, surprised and a little disappointed. "Okay. Well, we did. Or rather I did. I kissed her. Startled her. She didn't kiss me back or anything, but she didn't object either."

"Okay."

"Only she hasn't said anything about it since that night. I guess she's just sorting the idea out in her head."

"Probably."

"You're SURE she didn't mention anything about our conversation to you? Or about the fact that it ended in a kiss?"

"Not a word."

"Oh. Hey, maybe she's just not the kiss-and-tell type. She probably didn't say anything back when she and Roger first got together, either. Right?"

"No, actually we couldn't get her to stop talking about it."

"I see."

"Don't let it get to you, Pat."

"I'm not. But could you do me a favor, JT?"

"What's that?"

"I think she's still on the fence about giving me a chance. Maybe you could talk to her. Give her a little encouragement. Tell her you think we'd make a good couple."

"We would? You and me?"

"No! Her and me. Me and her."

"Now I'm all heartbroken," JT said sarcastically.

"Look, you're closer to Liberty than anybody else at Degrassi is."

"I don't think anyone's ever really taken a poll on the matter."

"She'll listen to you. Believe me, I have no doubts about that."

"Pat…"

"I wouldn't ask you to get involved, JT, but this is important. And you're a major influence on her."

"Not a good idea," JT responded. "Trust me. If and when she's ready, she'll let you know. You say that you kissed her. So now the next step is up to her. Step on her toes and she's liable to kick you."

"It's been a couple of days."

"So what? If you've already decided she's not worth waiting for, then you probably don't need for this to happen anyway."

Patrick let out a heavy sigh.

"I hate it when you're right," he told JT.

"What, you mean you're not used to it by now?"

"Okay, I'll give her time. No pushing her."

"Wise choice. Was there anything else?"

"No. I've still got a few minutes left on my break. I'm gonna get a Coke. You want anything?"

"No, I'm good."

JT returned to looking at the documents. As Patrick left the office and started walking back toward the concession area, newly arrived Ellie walked up to him.

"Excuse me, is JT here tonight?"

"He's in the office," Patrick replied. "Want me to go and get…"

"No thanks," she interrupted. "I'll find him."

'Why am I nervous?' Ellie thought to herself as she slowly made her way toward the office she had visited on numerous prior occasions. 'I don't get nervous talking to most people. Especially him. Anyway, I'm just here to follow up on how things went after he left the library the other night. And to see how things are going now. Nothing out of the ordinary.'

Ellie reached the open door to the office and saw JT sitting at the desk.

"How does it feel?" she asked.

JT looked up and smiled when he saw Ellie standing in the doorway.

"How does what feel?" he responded.

"Sitting there, knowing that this great place is now yours."

"It's still sinking in. Come on in and pull up a chair."

"Thanks," Ellie said as she walked into the room and sat down.

"So, what are you here to see tonight – the drama or the documentary?"

"Neither one. I wanted to see how things turned out since the last time we talked."

"Yeah, things have been kinda hectic the last few days or I'd have let you know sooner."

"Not that I'm trying to be nosy," Ellie added.

"I know that. But you were with me when I decided to buy this place. And then I let you in on Emma's reaction to the news. It's only right that you hear how things have been going since then."

"What are friends for?"

"Exactly."

"So after you left the library…?"

"Nothing ended up happening that night," JT explained. "Then the next day, trying to settle things only made matters worse."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. That afternoon, we sat alone together and sorted everything out, without all the arguments and miscommunication we'd been having. We both apologized for things we'd done, not to mention things we hadn't done but should have done. And everything's been good since then."

"Good meaning that she still doesn't approve but is putting up with it for your sake? Or good meaning that she really believes in what you plan to do?"

"The second one. Emma understands that this is what's right for me, and she's backing me up all the way."

"I'm happy things worked out, JT."

"Thanks, Ellie. And thanks for everything else. But enough about me…as great a topic as that is. What's going on with Ellie Nash?"

"Staying busy as usual. And Ashley was trying to get me to go to some lame party tonight."

"Let me guess. You responded by making a face that looked like you thought she was out of her mind."

"That's a fairly accurate description."

"I don't know, though," JT said with a tone of mock sincerity. "Lurking way, way beneath the cynical outer shell of Ellie Nash is a party animal just longing to be set free."

"Okay, JT, whatever it is you're smoking can't possibly be legal."

They both laughed.

"At least she's not trying to fix you up again," JT commented.

"I think she was hoping I might already have someone in mind."

"Someone in particular?"

"Very particular," Ellie replied. "But it would never work. He's never going to see me in…that certain way."

"Hey, what kind of talk is that?"

"The realistic kind."

"Ellie, I didn't know you were even interested in anyone right now. Of course, lately most of our non-movie-related talks have been about me, Emma and this place."

"It caught me by surprise, too." Ellie then paused for a moment before speaking again. "JT, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"I believe you just did."

"I mean besides asking if I can ask you something."

"Oh," JT this time noticed the seriousness of her request. "Sure, go ahead."

"If you and her…Emma…hadn't been able to work things out, what do you think you would have done?"

"If there was no other way, I would have found another buyer for this place."

"Okay, I know you were talking like that in the library that night, but I thought that was just the emotions of the moment talking. You mean to say you really would have given this place up?"

"Yeah."

"But in that hypothetical situation, you don't think it would have been better to keep the theater and find someone else who would be more likely to appreciate you rather than stick with someone who would pressure you to give up a dream?"

"Ellie, what good is the dream if the one you care about more than anything isn't there to be a part of it?"

Ellie could see the sincerity on his face and hear it in his voice. It wasn't a surprise to her, but the expression of deep commitment to Emma on his part still made more of an impression on her than she had expected.

"That's a good point, JT. A very good point. She's…a very lucky girl."

"Lucky for both of us that everything DID work out, so I didn't need to make that choice. And now you and I have drifted off point. We were supposed to be talking about you and this guy you're interested in."

"Guy? Oh. Yes. The guy. He's just…some guy I see around every now and then. I'm sure the feeling will pass."

"You're not going to pursue it?"

"I don't think there's much point."

"That's too bad, Ellie. His loss."

"No big deal. It's not like I…feel a strong connection to him."

"Maybe you should go to that party anyway."

"Yeah, right."

"You've told me that the library closes early on Fridays, so you can't go there. Anyway, who wants to be alone on Friday night?"

"But still…"

"I know," JT interrupted. "It involves socializing with people you'd rather not know. But think of it as an opportunity to keep your sarcasm sharp. You know there's got to be plenty of snark-worthy people and situations there. Then you can tell me all about how ridiculous the event was next time we talk."

"Now that is a good reason to go. You're actually selling me on this silly college party. Are you sure you weren't a used car salesman in a previous life."

"No, but I sold used camels in ancient Egypt. And even back then, asking someone if they wanted one hump or two was a risky situation."

"I guess I'll give it a shot."

"Just don't end up standing in a corner by yourself. Interact. Mingle. And if you get bored, make a game out of seeing how many times you can hurl an insult without the people realizing they're being insulted."

"That's always fun."

Ellie stood up to leave. JT then stood up as well.

"That's good about you and her…Emma…straightening things out. See? I told you not to give up on trying to work it all out."

"That you did. Thanks for the visit. See you next week? We've got some good features lined up."

"Wouldn't miss them. Talk to you soon."

"Bye Ellie."

Ellie left the office and took a drink from a nearby water fountain. She then continued to stand beside the fountain.

'It wasn't anything I didn't expect,' she thought. 'He's tied to her. I can't imagine him leaving her for any reason, much less another person. I may not be exactly sure about these feelings I have, but I definitely know what his are. Emma equals love of his life – whether she appreciates him or not. Me equals friend. Not that just staying friends with him is bad. Far from it.'

She looked down the hallway and saw the restrooms. Then she looked down at her arms.

'Not that long ago, this kind of disappointment would have sent me…But no. Not now. I haven't even felt the need to wear the bands much anymore. I won't go back to old habits. I'll probably need to do some major jogging tomorrow to get rid of the tension, but I'm going to be okay. I know it. I've got too much that's good to want to do that to myself again.

'Besides, whatever these newer feelings for him have been, they'll go away. The feelings for Marco went away and we never stopped being good friends. It'll be the same way with JT.'

Ellie then resumed walking and exited the theater. Once outside, she again looked down at her arms.

'Forget the party. I should get back to the dorm.'

Back in his office, JT made a phone call soon after Ellie left.

"Hey Emma," he greeted his girlfriend after she picked up.

"Hey yourself," Emma replied, having answered the phone in her kitchen. "This is a nice surprise."

"Sorry to take you away from your night of masochism," he joked.

"You mean Girls Night, watching DVDs of films you couldn't sit through for five minutes without making a sarcastic comment?"

"Same thing, only I used less words."

"Very funny. Anyway, Manny, Courtney and Liberty are a much more appreciative audience for these shows than you, though they're not nearly as much fun to sit with in the dark."

JT laughed.

"How's work going?" she asked.

"Normal-sized crowd for a Friday."

"That's good."

"We're really lucky, Emma," he said, taking on a more serious tone.

"How's that?"

"It seems like a lot of people either don't know what they want, or they know but don't know what to do about it. With you and me…there's no doubt in my mind. The two of us – we've got something really good. I know none of this is news, but I felt like saying it anyway."

"In a minute you're going to make me cry more than those movies could."

"Ah, then my work there is done! Anything to save you from the misery of bad cinema."

Emma laughed.

"I guess I should let you get back to the weeping festival."

"JT, wait."

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking."

"When aren't you thinking?"

"Ahem."

"Sorry, Emma. Continue."

"First, stop smirking."

"Me? Smirking?"

"JT…"

"Okay, okay. I am now completely smirk-free. It's like you can see me through the phone lines or something."

"Your idea Monday morning was a good one."

"I know. That's why I went ahead with it."

"Yeah, but right now I'm talking about the first idea. The one I bit your head off about when you suggested it. You're right. Maybe it IS time to give Stouffville another try."

"But I thought…"

"…That I wasn't ready to try again. Afraid of another disappointment. Afraid to be around him. That's all true. I still am, at least a little. But I don't like being afraid of anything."

"This I know very well."

"So sometime in the next few weeks, before things get really hectic for you as you finalize the sale, I'd like us to go back there."

"I'm ready whenever you are. No pressure. Just as long as you don't leave me alone with the creepy people in white coats again."

"Promise. Hey, they're yelling for me to get back into the other room. I'd better go. Call me when you get home from work."

"Will do."

"Oh, and you're right that it's not news to me. We ARE very lucky to have what we have, JT. But it's always good to hear it said again."


	44. On Edge

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to my reviewers for all the great comments regarding the last chapter.

****

Chapter 44 - On Edge

Monday afternoon at TMD, JT walked out of the office and over to the concession area.

"Patrick's still not here?" he asked Amanda Davis, a university student who worked part-time at the theater.

"Not yet," she replied after handing a box of candy to a customer. "He hasn't called?"

"No. He's only about 15 minutes late. Not a big deal. But that's not like him. Half the time he seems to beat me in getting over here after school. Is everything okay out here? Need me to help out?"

"No, I got it covered, JT."

"Okay, in that case I'll be back in the office if you…"

"JT?" she interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"I think it's great that you're about to own the place. You practically run it already, so Sal's placing it in good hands."

"Thanks, Amanda."

"There's just one thing."

"What's that?"

"When someone new takes over a business, a lot of times they want to bring in all new people. They don't always want to keep the people who were hired by the previous owner. I know it's not like you're someone brand new coming in and taking over, but…"

"Relax, Amanda. I'm not promising that I won't hire some new people, especially if they're good and could be a big help. But it won't be because I'm trying to replace anyone. Right now, everyone here does good work and I can't imagine letting anybody go. Why rock the boat on purpose, right?"

"Good to know. Even working here just part-time, every little bit helps. College textbooks seem to get more expensive each semester."

"So I've heard. My girlfriend Emma's got a lot of scholarship applications out there, hoping to cut costs as much as she can for when she starts in the Fall."

At that point, JT heard the phone in the office start to ring.

"I'd better get that. Let me know if you need some help out here."

"Thanks, JT. Hopefully Pat will be here soon."

JT returned to the office and answered the phone.

"Thanks for calling The Movie Difference," he greeted as he sat back down behind his desk.

"I'm calling for James Yorke," a woman's voice answered.

"This is JT Yorke."

"I'm sorry, but I'm trying to locate a Mr. James Yorke."

"That would be me," JT said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh. Okay. I didn't know there were two of you. Or rather one of you that's actually two. Or is that two that's actually one?" She then giggled before continuing. "That must get confusing, using two names like that."

"Can I help you with something?"

"Like what?" she asked, sounding perplexed.

"Like who are you and why did you call me?"

"Right! I almost forgot. Sorry about that. You see, it's my first day on the job. It's very complicated. For example, the phones here have so many more buttons than my phone at home. And some of them light up and everything."

"Oookay. And again, you were calling because…?"

"Yes, well I was trying to reach James Yorke – which it turns out is you – because my boss, Nathaniel Yorke, wanted me to remind you that time is running out."

"For what?" JT asked, getting agitated at the prospect of a message from his estranged father.

"It seems that some time ago you agreed to vacate Mr. Yorke's house by the end of this summer. He said…Oh, let me look at what I wrote down so I don't misquote him. Here it is. He said, 'That boy couldn't find his own ass with a room full of mirrors and a map, so you'd better remind him not to waste these next few months putting off finding a new place to live. He has until the end of August and then I can sell that place and make a sizable profit.'"

"Nice," JT responded sarcastically.

"Oh my! I don't think I was actually supposed to tell you his exact words. It's just that I didn't want to forget anything and…"

"It's okay, uh…What was your name?"

"It's Bambi. I know what he said sounded awfully crude, but he's really very nice. Even though I don't have much experience as a personal assistant, what with being only 19 years old, he hired me just a few minutes into my interview. Did you know, he even said he doesn't believe in employee dress codes? He told me I can wear my skirts as short as I want and it won't offend him. Isn't he a sweetheart?"

"One of a kind."

"Hey, I just thought of something. He's Nathaniel Yorke and you're James Yorke – alias JT Yorke. Are you two related?"

"Unfortunately. Err, I mean, yes, we are. In a manner of speaking."

"Well it really is a small world after all, just like the song says. Anyhow, now that I've given you that message, I can go and take my break. It was nice talking to you."

"It was…an experience…talking to you too, Bambi."

"That's so sweet of you. It's no wonder you two are related. Have a hap-hap-happy day."

The conversation ended and JT put down the phone.

'Still thinks I'm dumb and, no doubt, worthless,' JT thought to himself. 'Not that he dislikes dumb, worthless people. They just have to be young girls in skimpy clothing. At least he's consistent.'

Now frowning, he looked at his watch. He got up from his chair and marched out of the office and back toward the concession area.

"Still no sign of him?" he questioned Amanda.

"Afraid not," she answered.

"If he bothers to show up, tell him I want to see him in the office."

"Will do."

JT quickly returned to the office and slammed the door.

Meanwhile, at DCS, Patrick was standing outside of the school's newspaper office. Having paced back and forth for several minutes, now he simply stood still in front of the closed door. Finally, he decided it was time to do what he knew he had to do.

He opened the door and found Liberty busily walking around looking over various students' shoulders as they sat working at computer terminals. She pointed out grammatical mistakes in one guy's work, told a young woman to re-work the lead paragraph of a story and advised another girl about a layout.

Patrick stepped into the room and Liberty soon took notice. She then returned to giving instructions about the layout before leaving the students and walking over toward Patrick.

"Hello."

"Hi Liberty. Looks like you're busy."

"Always, though these days more than ever. Not only do I have to make sure we continue to put out a quality paper, but I'm trying to train this group so they'll know what to do in the Fall since I'll no longer be here to guide them."

"I wanted to talk to you about last week," Patrick explained. "I know you haven't wanted to talk about it, but…"

"Hold on," Liberty stopped him. She then looked back at the other students. They were busy and not paying any attention to the couple, but she still felt uncomfortable. "Outside."

Patrick followed Liberty out of the room. She then motioned for him to shut the door behind him.

"This isn't the sort of thing you discuss in front of the help, Patrick."

"The help? They're fellow students, Liberty. Not maids and butlers."

"You know what I mean. Now, you were saying…?"

"I enjoyed the kiss. I think you did too, whether or not you'll admit that to me or even to yourself. But I'm not going to bother you about it anymore. Either you'll want to give me a chance or you won't, but it's up to you."

"It's not as though I haven't considered this situation," Liberty responded. "I've simply needed time to process everything."

"I can understand that."

"Yes."

"Yes what?" Patrick asked, confused.

"Yes, Patrick, I'm willing to give this a chance."

"Really?"

"Affirmative."

Liberty then surveyed the hallway for potential onlookers. Satisfied once she realized they were alone, she leaned in and kissed him.

"We should make plans," Patrick said with excitement after the kiss ended.

"Plans?"

"Do you want to go out to eat? No, of course not. It's still too early in the afternoon for that. Want to go for a drive or maybe…"

"I have to get back inside."

"Oh. Of course. I wasn't thinking, but under the circumstances, you can see why."

"Also, don't you have to work this afternoon?"

"Huh? Oh! You're right, Liberty. I was so busy thinking about having to tell you I was going to pull back, that I completely forgot."

"Then you'd better hurry on."

"I will. It's okay, though. It'll be cool, especially once I tell JT the great news about you and me. I'll call you tonight and we can discuss when and where we should go on our first official date."

"All right. That sounds like a good idea."

Patrick was about to lean in for one more kiss but before he could, Liberty had already started to walk away from him and toward the press room door.

"Goodbye Patrick."

"See you later, Lib."

"Don't do that, Patrick," she said, turning back around to face him.

"Do what?"

"Don't abbreviate my name like that. It doesn't sound right at all. So no Lib. No Libby. Or Libster. Or Libita. And finally, under no circumstances whatsoever, should you – if you value your life – call me…Libsy."

"Got it. Bye Liberty."

He then walked away with a smile on his face that he doubted would ever go away. At the same time, Liberty returned into the room, looking troubled, hoping she had made a good decision regarding Patrick.

Several miles away, Emma and Manny were sitting in the mall's Food Court finishing up an order of nachos they were sharing.

"So you're going this weekend?" Manny asked her friend.

"Sunday, if we get final confirmation that morning that Shane's up to having visitors. Otherwise we'll try for the next Sunday. After what happened last time, I don't want us to go only to find out it's not a good day. Not again."

"It will be fine. I'm sure of it."

"That's what JT says, too. He's the eternal optimist. He's also the one responsible for giving me the extra boost of courage to take this trip. So, have you heard back about any of those scholarships you applied for?"

"Nothing so far."

"Don't worry, Manny. It's still early. Plenty of time."

"What about you?"

"One so far."

"Emma, that's great! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I just got word in the mail on Saturday. Now it's not one of the big scholarships I put in for, but it's something."

"And like you said, there's still lots of time to hear back on some of the others."

"Exactly," Emma agreed.

"The hardest part of all is going to be deciding on a major," Manny said. "Not that it's absolutely necessary to declare one during the first year."

"I've been thinking about it. I have a couple of ideas, but nothing definite so far."

"Care to share?"

"English, with a focus on writing. Or maybe Communications. I go back and forth. It's funny, Manny. When I was a kid, I was sure I was going to be the next Caitlin. I was going to travel the world. Showcase all of society's problems and tell everyone out there in TV land what they should do to fix everything."

"And now?"

"And now, I'm older and – I hope – more realistic. Caitlin's way works for her but it isn't the only way. TV news shows are fine, but you never know if you're really reaching anybody that way. No matter how much new technology there is out there, I think the written word is still the best way to really reach inside of people and communicate a message."

"It sounds like you've been putting a lot of thought into this. But are you also sure that none of your possible plans are just a reaction to the fact that Ellie – and not you – has been the one working for Caitlin the last few years?"

"Now you're being silly, Manny."

"Just double checking."

"I'd sooner have a root canal procedure done through my nose than base any of my goals on the choices of someone like Ellie Nash."

"Hey, you don't have to convince me, although I think that last comment would certainly do the trick in convincing anyone."

"I should be nicer about her, I guess. She's JT's friend so he obviously sees good qualities in her." Emma then paused momentarily and looked as though she was contemplating this idea. "Nope. Dumb idea. Holding her in contempt works for me."

Manny laughed.

"But," Emma continued, "whatever I think about her is irrelevant when it comes to my wanting to use my abilities to reach people and make a difference. Got it?"

"Got it," Manny replied.

They were interrupted by the ring of Manny's cell phone.

"Hello?" she answered after retrieving the phone from her purse.

"Hi Manny," the voice of Sean Cameron responded.

"Hey!"

"I'll go throw this stuff away," Emma said regarding the tray with the now empty plate and empty cups. She carried it away, giving Manny a chance to speak on the phone in private.

"So…how are things?" Sean asked.

"Things are good. Emma and I are here at the mall."

"Oh. Then I'll let you go."

"No, that's okay," Manny assured.

"So…your new tire…Still okay? Not giving you any problems?"

"You asked me that this morning before class. It's fine."

"Right. That's good. So…I was thinking."

There was a moment of silence as Sean didn't continue.

"Okay…" Manny said. "Care to tell me what it was you were thinking about?"

"That was fun the other night. Not you getting stuck on the road with a bad tire. But going and getting something to eat afterward."

"Yeah, it was nice."

"I was just thinking that even though your other tires still seem to be in good shape, there's no reason to wait for one of them to go bad before we could go out again."

"You mean as in a real date?" she asked, somewhat surprised with the amount of hope in her voice.

"Not if you don't want to call it that. But yeah. A real date."

"I think that's a good idea, Sean. And yes, I'd like to call it a real date."

"That's good. How about tonight? If you're not already busy."

"Let me check my complicated social calendar," Manny said jokingly. "No, it's still filled with lots of blank pages. Pick me up when you get off work?"

"Your parents won't be a problem, will they?"

"They gave up on making a fuss long ago. Don't worry about it."

"Then I'll see you tonight, Manny."

"Yeah, it'll be fun. Bye Sean."

Emma returned with drinks in hand as Manny put away her phone.

"I brought us back some re-fills."

"Thanks," Manny said as she took one of the cups from Emma.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything's great, Em. Ready to walk?"

"Sure."

They left the table and the Food Court and, carrying their drinks, started walking through the mall.

Back at TMD, Patrick entered, feeling like he was walking on air.

"Afternoon, Mr., uh, what was your name again?" Amanda greeted him sarcastically. "After all, it's been so long since anyone here has seen you."

"I know, I know. I'm late. Hope it wasn't too crazy around here."

"No. Nothing out of the ordinary. You'd better check in with JT, though. He's been looking for you."

"Already heading that way. He'll be happy to hear about what took me so long."

Patrick approached the office and opened the door.

"Hey JT," he said cheerfully.

JT looked up from his work.

"Oh. You're here. I guess that means we can send home the search and rescue dogs."

"That's a good one. Sorry I'm late, but wait until I tell you…"

"Shut the door and get in here," JT said sternly. "I want to talk to you."

At the mall, Emma and Manny tossed their cups into a garbage can and then walked into a nearby music store.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"If I tell you something, you won't freak, will you?" Manny asked hesitantly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just not sure how you'll react."

"Try me."

"I have a date tonight."

"Manny, that's great," Emma said enthusiastically. "I know you haven't felt comfortable about dating anyone new in a long time. Is that what the phone call back there was all about?"

"Yeah. We actually went out the other night. But that wasn't really a date. But tonight…it will be."

"I'm very happy for you, Manny. Why would you think I'd freak about something like that?"

"I thought there was a chance that it might bother you. Because of who it is that I'm going out with."

"Well who is it?"

"Sean."

"Shawn who?" Emma asked, not making the connection.

"Sean Cameron."

"Oh. Sean?"

"Yeah."

"Manny…I think that…"

"Emma?" a nearby voice called out, interrupting the conversation.

Emma turned in the direction of the voice and saw Ashley standing over in the next aisle of CDs. Ashley walked over toward them.

"Hi Emma."

"Hey Ashley. It's been a few weeks. How have you been?"

"Busy. Finishing up a couple of papers. And finals aren't all that far off."

"And getting in a few parties here and there?"

"Of course. Hey, sometime soon you need to come out to the campus and I'll give you the grand tour."

"Sounds great."

"Bring JT along too if you want. I'm sure he'll have plenty of commentary to offer."

"I will, though he probably already knows the campus better than I do, since he deals with the school paper about theater ads."

Manny, still standing near Emma and feeling uncomfortable, cleared her throat.

"Hello Ashley," she then said in a civil tone.

"Oh. Hello Manny. I was focused on Emma and didn't notice you there."

Emma, noting the awkwardness of the situation, decided to prevent a potential conflict.

"We're just doing some browsing through the shops this afternoon," Emma explained to Ashley. "Give me a call soon, Ash, and we can talk about getting together. I think for now, we'd better take off."

"I underst-…"

"Hey Ash, check out this one."

The three young women turned and saw Ellie, looking down at a CD in her hand, walking toward Ashley. As she started to hand the item to Ashley, Ellie looked up and finally noticed that her friend wasn't alone.

"I…Oh…Well…" Ellie, feeling caught off-guard by Emma's presence, had trouble completing a thought.

"Such great verbal skills," Emma said sarcastically. "And you're actually allowed to interview people? No wonder television journalism is in the state it's in."

"Hello Emma," Ellie said, getting angry and starting to feel more confident. "Here to harass the public with another useless petition, or just trying to set a new record for how many citizens are willing to file a restraining order to get you off their case?"

"Unexpectedly clever, Ellie. Hey, I hear they're having a sale on rubber bands at the office supply store on the other side of the mall. I know you'll want to hurry over there and stock up. Snap. Snap."

Soon Ellie and Emma were glaring at one another. Manny and Ashley looked at the two and then at each other.

"So…nice weather we're having so far this week," Ashley eventually said to break the silence. "Wouldn't you say so, Ell?"

"I agree," Manny replied when Ashley's words didn't break the standoff. "Nice and…um…calming. Right, Em?"


	45. Express Yourself

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers. I'm glad you're continuing to enjoy this story.

**Chapter 45 -- Express Yourself**

Having entered the office at TMD, Patrick shut the door behind him.

"You must not have gotten the memo," JT told him.

"What memo?"

"The one describing this great new invention. It's called a telephone. And if you have one without all the pesky wires, you can even carry it around with you wherever you go. You know, in case you feel like letting someone know that you don't feel like coming in to work at the time you're scheduled."

"JT…"

"I know. It's hard to believe what they'll think of next. No more relying on smoke signals to get messages back and forth. It also means there are a lot of carrier pigeons out of work. I guess they have to go back to leaving their own personal messages on statues and park benches."

"Liberty said yes," Patrick interjected.

"Okay. And…?"

"And…that's where I was. At school. We're going to try going out. On an official date."

"When?"

"We still have to talk about it. Set something up. Soon, I hope."

"I see."

"It's great, JT. Exactly what I was hoping for."

"Yes, so you've been telling me."

"Well, what do you think?"

"Just make sure you don't go out at a time when you're supposed to be here. Any other questions you want me to answer?"

"Come on, JT. I'm sorry, okay. It just didn't even occur to me that I was supposed to be working…which of course is not exactly the best thing I should have said right now by way of an explanation."

"Patrick, I have to know that I can depend on you. The others have to know they're not going to be stuck covering for you."

"It's not like this happens all the time, and it probably won't again."

"If you say so."

"What's wrong, JT? You never get on anybody's case."

"I know there are people who think I've got nothing in my head but a couple of cracked walnuts…that I don't know what I'm doing on my best day…but that's not true."

"I know that. Who's saying otherwise?"

"I've been a good assistant manager. And I know I'm going to make a good owner. I've earned the right to be where I am and I'm not going to mess things up by letting people take advantage of me or try to say that I play favorites. You're a friend, Patrick, but that doesn't mean you're going to get special treatment once this place is mine. I want this to remain a nice, relaxed working atmosphere, but that doesn't mean you can get away with treating your job like it's some kind of afterthought. Not if you want to continue working here under the new ownership."

Meanwhile, just beyond the entryway into the music store at the mall, the four young women stood in awkward silence until Ashley finally spoke up.

"Okay, this isn't the most comfortable situation in the world, but here we are. So there's no reason why we can't all remain civil to one another."

"Ashley's right," Manny said. "Emma, let's just go. After all, now that I have that date tonight, I need your help getting ready."

"No, I still don't see it," Ellie said casually.

"What was that, Ell?" Ashley asked.

"I was just standing here trying to figure out what exactly it is that my friend JT sees in you," Ellie said to Emma. "I mean, you've got the looks, I'll grant you. And you're smart in spite of yourself. But still, I'm drawing a blank."

"How about that, Manny?" Emma responded. "I'm considered questionable by someone who in all likelihood spends her nights howling at the moon and sleeping upside down. Considering the source, I'm not sure whether to consider her comments an insult or compliment."

"JT is such a positive person," Ellie continued. "He doesn't seem to let the bad stuff that happens to him dampen his spirit. So it's odd that he would fall for someone so negative."

"Me? Negative? Listen little girl, I have more hope…more optimism…than you could ever dream of having yourself."

"That's a laugh. I admit I'm no expert at having a positive outlook on life, but I try to at least appreciate what IS rather than get all up in arms over what ISN'T. You prefer to see a glass as half empty rather than half full."

"No, I'm someone who tries to find a way to make sure everyone's glass gets to be full so that it never becomes an issue."

"And once again, Emma Nelson has an instant answer for everything."

"Do you understand any of this?" Manny asked Ashley.

"No," Ashley replied. "I was about to ask you the same thing. So…a date? You and Craig going for your third – or is it fourth – reconciliation?"

"It's not Craig."

"Ellie," Emma began again, "I'm starting to question whether it's still a good idea for me to attend a university that would let you in. Words come out of your mouth, but they make no sense in the way you string them together."

"Maybe that's because you're not used to listening to other people," Ellie replied. "Your standard operating procedure is to have an opinion and shut down anyone else who might have the slightest differing idea without giving them a chance to have their say. You're big on freedom of expression, Emma, but only as long as it's your expression and your opinion. Everyone else can either jump on your bandwagon or get out of the way."

"Ellie, what's wrong?" Ashley asked, surprised by her friend's current confrontational manner.

"Nothing's wrong, Ash. But it's been this way with her for as long as I can remember."

"But you two hardly know each other," Manny offered.

"Poor Manny," Ellie said sarcastically. "Still working hard for Emma's approval. How's that going for you? You know, trying to be her own personal cheerleader, even in matters that aren't your concern."

"Come on, Ellie. Don't…"

"No, Ash. I know Emma's your friend, but while I may not have dealt with her on a daily basis, the times I have were enough to see the pattern."

Ellie then turned back toward Emma and was ready to go on a tirade. Then it occurred to her to consider what JT would think of this situation. She took a deep breath and began speaking with a calmer, quieter tone.

"Look, Emma, we have different ways of looking at things and that's not going to change even if we stand here arguing for a year. I shouldn't have said anything to begin with. It's just…don't ever take him for granted. Appreciate him for who he is, not what you think he ought to be. Because you are so very important to him. This is a guy who was going to give up on buying that theater and probably would have sat in on a bunch of college courses for the next four years just to please you.

"For his sake, I'm glad you two worked everything out. And I'm not someone who sticks her nose in someone else's business, but he is not a 'glass half empty' person, and I don't ever want him to become one of those. I want good things for him."

There was another uncomfortable silence.

"So Ashley," Manny began in an effort to break the quiet, "freshman year has been good?"

"Very," Ashley replied, thankful for Manny's attempt to steer the conversation in another direction. "A lot of work, but still plenty of time for a social life."

"Ellie," Emma began, "because JT considers you a friend, I won't say any of the things I so easily could. And though there's no need for me to justify anything, I'll tell you that although I didn't take the news of his theater purchase very well at first, I quickly saw the error in how I handled it, just as he saw that I had the best of intentions. We quickly sorted it all out and are stronger than ever. He's the last person in the world I'd ever want to hurt. So you can put your mind at ease and go back to focusing on whatever it is that pseudo-alternative goth whatevers focus on."

"Em," Manny spoke up, "the four of us are starting to get strange looks from the other customers."

"We should probably go," Emma responded. "Like you said, you have a date to prepare for. Ash, I'll call you later this week and we can figure out a day sometime soon to meet up so you can show me around campus."

"Sounds great, Emma," Ashley said before turning her attention toward Manny. "Oh, and Manny…that thing about Craig…Sorry. Childish thing to say. We should be past all of that at this point."

"Hey, if the roles were reversed, I probably would have said the same thing. And anyway, outside of a friendship with him, Craig and I are long over."

"And God knows I wouldn't want to get back with him again," Ashley said without reservation.

"Yeah," Manny added. "Things always did have a way of getting out of hand whenever he and I were going out."

"I like to think of my time with Craig as the roller coaster ride from Hell," Ashley explained. "It started out as the time of my life, but we always ended up in the worst possible place."

"I know what you mean," Manny agreed. "Anyway, it's been…interesting."

"To say the least. See you around."

Emma, Manny and Ashley said their goodbyes while Ellie stood silent. As Emma and Manny walked out of the store and through the mall Manny developed a big grin.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Hurricane Emma struck again! Film at 11."

"Hey, you know my feelings about Ellie. And I still feel guilty that she was able to encourage JT after I didn't."

"I'm not complaining, Em. I was just thinking how I'm glad it's not me that's the hurricane victim anymore."

They both laughed.

"At least I hope that's still the case," Manny added.

"And what does THAT mean?" Emma asked.

"You never did get to give me your reaction."

"Oh, that's right. You and Sean. A date."

"Yeah. A date."

"I think…it sounds like a good idea."

"You mean it?"

"Sure. I hope the two of you have a great time."

"Thanks, Em."

"But what was that you were saying before about how you two have already been out once but that it wasn't a real date?"

"Oh, well see last week I had this flat tire, and…"

While Manny recalled the events of the previous week, back at the music store Ashley stood beside Ellie, who was looking over some CDs.

"Care to explain, Ell?"

"Explain what?"

"Ask anyone who knows all four of us which ones are most likely going to get into a big argument if we all happen to be in the same place at the same time, and not a one of them would predict that Manny and I would be the civil ones."

"Like I said before, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Knowing that you two have never exactly been buddies, and knowing how Emma likes to speak her mind at any and all times, I wasn't surprised that she had words for you. I'm not even that surprised that you had words to say in return. I AM surprised that you seemed so emotionally charged about the whole experience. Also, taking things to the point where you're starting to criticize her relationship with…"

Ellie, noticing that Ashley stopped talking in mid-sentence, looked up from the CD she had been staring at and turned to face Ashley, who was staring at her.

"It's him," Ashley finally spoke again.

"What's him?"

"He's the him."

"He who?" Ellie asked evasively.

"Ellie, you know very well who he is that's him. JT's the he. I mean him. The him that's yours. The him you've been talking about. Dreaming about. Only he's not yours, he's hers."

"Okay. Yes, JT is the one I was referring to."

"God, Ell!"

"Don't get excited, Ashley."

"I thought you told me I didn't know the mystery man."

"No, you asked me if it was anyone you knew and I said he didn't go to our school. And JT doesn't. He's not planning to, either."

"Ellie, have you completely lost your mind?"

"You think there's something wrong with being interested in him?"

"In general? Of course not. I mean, okay, when JT's name is mentioned, often the first image that comes to mind is of that goofy little kid I had to bribe to drop out of a school election a long time ago."

"Ash…"

"But then the following year when we were both concerned about the problems Toby was going through, I got to see a glimpse of another side to him. And months later, Paige couldn't say enough nice things about him, telling me all about how he tried to defend her honor without looking for anything in return. And he's continued to mature over time, though he hasn't lost touch with that certain goofiness I remember. Plus, he's not difficult on the eyes.

"So I can see why you might like him, Ell. And I understand what you were saying the other day about feeling a connection and about having so many things in common, but he's GOT somebody in his life. I don't think I have to remind you of where I stand when it comes to the idea of going after another woman's boyfriend."

"You don't, and I'm not."

"God! I just realized…I encouraged you to pursue him."

"You didn't know it was him, Ash. Anyway, I didn't follow your advice. Well, at least not completely."

"What does that mean?"

"I did go to see him at work that night, but only to talk. Nothing out of the ordinary about that for us. But I admit I did try to sound him out on what he thought he would do if he and Emma couldn't work out the disagreement they were having. He couldn't imagine not working things out with her one way or another."

"That's where the selling the theater bit came in?"

"Yeah. There's one woman in his life, and Emma is it. Even if he and I weren't friends, you know I'm not someone who's going to try to disrupt a relationship. I'm his friend, so I want him to be happy…even if it's with someone who irritates the hell out of me.

"There was a moment, though, after I left his office and then the theater. I felt so down. Out of sorts. I really felt like…For the first time in a long time, I had this urge to…you know. But I didn't do it, Ash. I thought about all I have going for me, including the friendship I have with him. I'm doing okay for myself. The things that are outside of my reach…I can deal."

"You've come a long way, Ellie Nash. I assume JT has no clue of those recent feelings of yours?"

"That's right, and I want to keep it that way. Ashley, promise me you won't say anything."

"I promise, though I'm sure he wouldn't have had a problem if you had told him what you were thinking. He'd probably be flattered, and rightfully so."

"I don't want to risk hurting our friendship. These more-than-friendly feelings toward him are a passing thing. I just have to do a better job next time of not letting Emma get to me."

That evening, JT and Emma sat outside on his front steps after dinner.

"I thought I was doing a good job of not letting him get to me," JT said.

"You have been," Emma assured.

"But one phone call – and not even from him, but from his latest so-called assistant – and I start to doubt myself all over again."

"Causing you to take it out on Patrick."

"He had it coming, with his whole casual attitude. Just showing up when he felt like it like it was no big deal. If I didn't gripe at him, the others would say it's because we're friends and so he's allowed to get away with it."

"You know they wouldn't think that way."

"Maybe not. Anyway, before I left for the night I apologized. Not for what I said, but for how I said it. So we're cool. The funny thing is...I think Dear Old Dad would have actually been proud of me for dealing with Pat the way I did at first. And then ashamed of me for easing off later on."

"Jamie, the fact that you've proved to yourself that you don't want to lead by intimidation and barking orders is all the more reason you have the staff's respect and their vote of confidence, which we both know is much more valuable than whatever pride or shame Nathaniel Yorke would have to offer. By the way, just because you get all bossy in the office once in a blue moon doesn't mean you're becoming like him. It just means you're human."

"I guess so."

"Hey," Emma then said with an added grin, "even I have been known to – on occasion – lose my usual sunny disposition."

"You?" he asked sarcastically. "Never."

"We all do what we have to do. Anyway…You want to talk about uncomfortable situations? At the mall this afternoon, Manny and I ran into Ashley and…"

"Uh-oh," JT interrupted. "Manny and Ashley face to face? Any casualties?"

"None. A bit of initial sarcasm, but the rest of the time they were calm and even polite."

"I'm telling you, angel, the mall does strange things to people. Still, it's good you were there. Helps to have someone levelheaded around in case the encounter HAD gotten ugly. I'm sure you would have kept everything under control if the situation had started to get out of hand."

"That's me," Emma said, feeling rather uncomfortable in light of what transpired that afternoon. "Calm and…peace-loving."


	46. Crazy World

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** I thought it was time for another of those periodic reminders of what was stated in the note preceding Chapter 1 – All episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Thanks to Maibe Josie, citysoundtrack, Neviegirl, Suzzy20, unleashmysoul and YellyBelly for the feedback.

****

Chapter 46 - Crazy World

Sunday morning found JT and Emma in his car, on the road to Stouffville.

"You're uncharacteristically quiet this morning," Emma said to her boyfriend. "Last time we tried this, I think I was the one who could barely speak. I was so nervous. Of course, I'm still nervous, but…I don't know. I feel a lot better about this trip. Ms. Pierson told me over the phone that Shane was fairly stable this morning, so we're already ahead of the game.

"Not that Shane knows we're coming to visit. There's not much point letting him know ahead of time since he'd just forget what he was told before we got there. He remembers bits and pieces of things, but not enough to where his memory is reliable. I know. You must be thinking about your own little experience from last time. Don't worry. No patients are going to try to experiment on you or anything.

"JT, I know I've said it several times already, but again, I'm so happy that you're here with me on this trip. That you're finally going to get the chance to meet him. I've wanted this to happen for a long time. Longer than you've wanted it to happen, as you'll recall. But that's all in the past. Just know that you're making me very happy. And that I love you."

JT continued driving without saying a word.

"JT?" Emma asked. "What's with the silent treatment? Oh, okay, I get it. Ellie must have finally come complaining to you. No surprise there. So now you know about our little…altercation…at the mall. I actually started to tell you the other night, but after I mentioned seeing Ashley, you asked about what happened between her and Manny. Then we never got back to a logical point in the conversation where it was worth mentioning Ellie.

"I can only imagine what she must have told you, but it was really no big deal. I may have said one or two things to her that weren't entirely nice, but you know how I can get if I'm provoked. In this case, I was a model of restraint. She started to make all sorts of outrageous remarks but after awhile of putting up with it, I rightfully stood up for myself. Then I felt it best that Manny and I just walk away so that we wouldn't make a bigger scene than the one Ellie had already created.

"I don't like to speak poorly of your friends, JT, but that girl has a very bad attitude. Still, I shouldn't have let her get to me. I hope you can understand."

A moment later, JT finally broke the silence.

"Huh?" he questioned, looking somewhat confused. "Did you say something, Emma?"

"JT, do you mean to say I've been talking all this time and you haven't heard anything I said?"

"I caught bits and pieces. Sorry, I wasn't paying much attention. Have you noticed how many different doughnut shops there are along this road since we left Toronto? I've been trying to keep track as I drive past them all."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Emma asked, rolling her eyes.

"I mean, you've got Pete's Donuts, Doughnut Delight, Donuts to Go…"

"Fascinating," she said sarcastically.

"And there was The Donut Hole. Clever, don't you think?"

"Clever's not the word I would choose."

"And there must have been at least three others. Add to that the five Waffle Shacks we've passed and we could have broken down anywhere along this road and still not have had to worry if we wanted to stop for breakfast."

"Now you know the real reason I've been pestering you to come on these trips with me for years, JT. I've needed someone who could keep track of those all-important details."

"That's me, Emma. At your service. Anyway, I'm hungry. It's not like you gave me a chance to eat breakfast this morning, and that's supposed to be the most important meal of the day."

"Considering what you'd choose to eat, it's not THAT important a meal. Seriously though, I didn't want to waste any time this morning."

"No problem. So what were you saying before? Something about the mall?"

"I was saying that I meant to tell you the other night that Manny and I saw Ellie as well as Ashley. Ellie never mentioned it?"

"She stopped into the office Friday night after seeing a film. We talked for awhile, but she didn't say anything about seeing you at the mall. In fact, I don't think your name came up in the conversation at all. You two get into another one of those little debates over current events and how to solve the world's problems?"

"Not quite."

"Good to know. With everything going on right now, it's nice to know I'm not going to get caught in the middle of some crazy disagreement between you two."

"You know I'd never put you in the middle of anything."

"Thanks."

"After all, you'd automatically take my side in any debate."

"Funny, Emma."

"I thought so."

"Think he'll like me?" JT asked, sounding more serious.

"What's that?"

"Your…uh…Shane. Do you think he'll like me?"

"What's not to like?"

"Yeah, well, I've always been a legend in my own mind, but…"

"JT, if Shane is anything like his daughter, he'll like you right away. Or at least find you interesting in a fascinatingly peculiar sort of way."

"What about peculiarly fascinating?"

"Funny, JT."

"I thought so."

Back in Toronto, Sean opened his door soon after hearing a knock.

"Good morning," Manny greeted, standing outside with a small box in hand.

"Morning Manny," Sean responded, clearly pleased to see her.

"I took a chance that you were already awake by now. You mentioned last night that you weren't working today, so I knew you wouldn't be at the shop, but I guess you could have slept in. And even though it's not early, I wasn't sure and, well, here I am. With doughnuts."

"Relax."

"I could go."

"Will you get in here already?"

"Thanks."

Manny entered the house.

"You didn't wake me up," Sean said. "But I haven't eaten anything either. Thanks."

They walked into the kitchen area.

"Have a seat," he told her, motioning toward a chair at the kitchen table. "Drink? We got water. Well, from the tap. And coffee. The tap water usually looks darker than the coffee. I think we still have a couple of Cokes left."

"Coffee would be great."

"You only say that because you've never tasted my coffee."

At the counter Sean poured some coffee into two cups while Manny sat and opened the box, removing some napkins.

"I had wondered what this place looked like on the inside. In fact I've only ever been here once before, and that was only outside."

"Way back when you came over to uninvite me to the Simpson wedding."

"You remembered."

"And you tripped and fell on your face."

Manny smiled.

"You didn't have to remember THAT part, Sean."

Sean brought the cups over and sat down, grabbing a doughnut from the box.

"It's good that you're here, Manny."

"I wanted to see you, but I didn't want to seem intrusive or…and hey, we both have to eat. So here I am."

"Relax. I don't think it's intrusive. Or the other thing you almost said before you stopped yourself."

"Sean, you're the first person I've gone out with – more than once – in a really long time. In fact, you're the first I've gone out with AT ALL in a really long time."

"It's the same with me."

"You might say I'm the poster girl for that phrase 'Be careful what you wish for.'"

"How do you mean?"

"There was a time when I went out of my way to be…not popular…but recognized. Recognized and thought about. Sexy and possibly a little dangerous. The one that could turn two guys who are best friends into enemies because they're both determined to be my one and only. And I'm sure this is something you'd rather not hear."

"No, it's okay, Manny. Keep going, if you want."

"Well, for awhile it was fun being that girl. A lot of fun. Then I ended up losing friends. Feeling like I was losing more and more control over my own life just so I could be this person, this object of attention. I know. Not exactly worthy of saying 'Poor me.' Only it turned out that as that object, I was thought of as not much more than trash, to be either ignored or used. After awhile, the nice guys wouldn't bother with me and the guys that would make offers…well, I'm sure you can guess."

"I have a pretty good idea," Sean said.

"Yeah. And worst of all, I made the two guys I liked most suffer because I could never bring myself to stick with either one for very long, Me and Craig…a case of first love that got out of control on so many levels. Off and on for years until…until the miscarriage. And JT…anytime things got to be too much with Craig, or I just needed a break from this lifestyle I'd set up for myself, I turned to JT, knowing it wouldn't last and knowing he was in love with me or that at least he thought he was. I loved him too. Still do, as my friend. That's never going to change. But I was never IN love with him.

"He was my lifelong friend. He was safe. He could make me laugh and make me feel important. And even if he ever thought about it, he never asked why he and I didn't have sex when it was never much of a secret that sex was part of all my other relationships. I know I hurt him though, using him the way I did. I hurt a lot of people, most of all myself.

"So I've been trying to take things slow this last year. Try to figure out what I want my life to be, especially with us graduating soon and getting a chance at a new beginning. And when it comes to relationships, I decided that once I found someone I wanted to date – who also wanted to date me – I would do things right this time. Slower pace. No using one another. Actually thinking about the other person and what's right for both of us, and not just about what I want."

"Which is why you were so nervous at the door…"

"Yeah. Just showing up. Seemed like a nice idea, but once I got here…I didn't want it to look like I was still that person from before."

"No worries, Manny. You had a good idea. You're always welcome here."

"Thanks Sean."

"Even when you don't bring food."

Manny laughed.

"I do remember when you first started with that whole image change," Sean said.

"Oh? I thought you were about the only one who didn't notice."

"I noticed. Just didn't make much sense. You looked like a little girl playing dress-up. Not saying you looked bad or anything. Far from it. It's just the whole situation…it didn't seem like the real you. Not that I was any great judge of images. I mean, it wasn't long after you did your big change that I…"

"Became a thug-in-training?"

"Ouch."

Manny grinned.

"But yeah, something like that."

"I could have wrung your neck for how you started treating Emma back then, Sean. That is, if I hadn't already been busy getting into huge shouting matches with her in the school hallways and pushing her away."

"At least the two of you are friends again now. You and JT, too."

"Yeah, two friendships I really wanted again, and hadn't really expected to get back. You've done pretty good with them yourself, Sean. You and Emma became friends again. And you and JT weren't even friends before, but now you're like best buddies."

"You're right, Manny. Things have been going really good for me this year. Kind of scary, since I'm not used to things staying good for so long."

"Since we're being so open, Sean…do you mind if I ask you something that might be way too personal and none of my business?"

"What is it?"

"For me, I started trying to turn things around after losing the baby. Then after I realized I wasn't going to be able to run back to JT again, I knew that it was finally time to turn the page. So I'm wondering…was there something in particular that helped you 'wake up' and quit all that stuff you were caught up in?"

While Manny and Sean ate and talked, in Stouffville, JT and Emma finally reached the sanitarium. With the car parked, JT started to open his door to get out when Emma reached over and put her hand on his arm to stop him from leaving.

"Let's go over the ground rules first, JT."

"Ground rules?"

"Shane's not dumb, but obviously he's not so quick to pick up on things, so it's probably best if you kept the quick-witted sarcastic comments to a minimum. And you never know what he might suddenly notice and focus all his attention and energy on, so if you get the urge to do something silly, suppress it."

"So you're saying I shouldn't pick my nose and stick it on my forehead."

"JT…!" she exclaimed in exasperation.

"I'm kidding."

"I know, and that's just the sort of thing I don't…I mean HE doesn't need right now."

"Anything else?" JT asked.

"That's it. Unless I think of something while we're walking up to the building."

"You really think I'm going to do anything dumb or that would embarrass you?"

"Of course not. At least…not on purpose."

"Emma…"

"Sorry. I know I'm being overly cautious. I just don't want anything to mess up this visit."

"And nothing will. Try relaxing, Emma."

"Easy for you to say. We're not visiting YOUR father in a mental institution."

For a moment, silence filled the car. Then JT smiled, a thought having obviously come to mind.

"No, we're not visiting my father in a mental institution. But if we keep our fingers crossed, maybe someday we'll get to."

Emma's expression softened. She leaned over and kissed JT.

"Thanks for putting up with me," she said after the kiss ended.

"No problem. I'm used to it."

"Hey!"

"We're not inside the building yet," JT explained. "So I haven't pressed the Off button on my sarcasm setting."

"I think I'm ready," Emma then said confidently. "Let's go in."

As the couple got out of the car and started walking toward the building's entrance, back in Toronto Manny sat eating and listening as Sean tried to answer her question.

"Emma had me pegged last year when she called me a loner who didn't like being alone. She had a lot of stuff going on back in Grade 9 and I felt…left behind. Craig was spending most of his free time with Ashley. Even Toby was busy dating Spinner's sister. And it's probably safe to say that back then JT would rather have hung out with Raditch than with me. So when I had the chance to get in good with this other group, I took it. Seemed better than nothing. If it meant stealing a few things, no problem. If it meant insulting the people that had been my friends, I didn't care. Seemed like a small price to pay to feel like part of something.

"But sneaking around and taking things…that wasn't enough for Jay. He wanted people to look at him and be afraid. So we tried to look tough. Talk tough. No fear. Again, it made sense to me at the time. You know, for an idiot, Jay can be really convincing when he wants to be. He sure had me convinced that we were fearsome. But JT was right not to take us serious. The more we tried to act tough, the stupider we must have looked. A part of me knew it even then, but I went along with it anyway. Still, when you can't intimidate the kids in the debate club, you might as well stop calling yourself a gang.

"Anyway, Jay got more and more into the challenge. Didn't matter what he had to do to get what he wanted. Eventually, it wasn't even about stealing something, but knowing he COULD take it. The tougher the conquest, the more he had to try it. Even if it meant getting violent. Real violence, not stuffing some kid in a locker. I wasn't with him this one night when he broke into someone's home. He was spotted, so he knocked the guy unconscious. When Jay bragged about it the next day, I knew that was not the sort of thing I wanted any part of. I'd already hurt someone once years ago."

"The ear?"

"Yeah. And no matter what I'd started doing here – the stealing and being an overall jerk – I wasn't going back down that road again. I wouldn't be responsible for putting someone in the hospital. That meant Jay was no longer someone I wanted any part of. So I cut him and that whole situation out of my life."

"Wouldn't you cutting off ties like that make him mad? Make him want to go after you?"

"It helped that I wasn't the only one fed up with him. Most everyone else was, too. Even Alex…"

"Jay's girlfriend?" Manny asked, wanting clarification.

"Yeah. Even she told him to take a hike. Last I heard, Alex is now selling cosmetics door to door."

"You're kidding."

"No. You'd be amazed how many people are willing to buy something from her when she comes to their doorstep giving that threatening look of hers. I hear that she's the youngest at her company to ever make so much sales commission in just one year."

"But what about you, Sean? Jay ever try to bother you since then?"

"No. I see him around every now and then. How he's managed to keep out of jail all this time is incredible. He says he pities me that I couldn't keep up with him. Telling me I should just accept my loser heritage instead of staying in school and trying to make up for the stuff I did when I was part of his group. Says he feels too sorry for me to want to bother getting back at me for 'abandoning' him."

"That's a relief."

Neither said anything for a moment until Sean finally spoke again.

"Manny, for a couple of years there, I did a lot of things I'm not exactly proud of."

"I know the feeling."

"But I've tried to make up for it, as much as I can."

"I know you have," Manny assured him.

"And that's all in the past."

"Don't worry, Sean. All your friends know that."

"I just wanted to make sure YOU know it," Sean explained. "Because I like you. So I don't want you to think you can't trust me."

"I know I can trust you," Manny told him. "I like you, too. A lot. This is new. And right. And a little scary. I don't want to mess this up like I've done in the past."

"You're not messing up, Manny. You won't."

Sean slowly leaned toward her. Noticing this, she leaned closer to him as well. They each looked at one another as though they were silently seeking approval. Finding in one another's expressions what they were looking for, they moved even closer until their lips touched. Then, despite having already gone out on two official dates so far, the two former outcasts now engaged in their first real kiss. After it was over, they looked at one another. Both were smiling.

"Still scared?" Sean asked.

"Yeah," Manny replied. "But it's a good scared. The kind that comes with any new beginning."

Meanwhile at the institution, administrator Janet Pierson led Emma and JT down a hallway until they reached Shane's room. Pierson opened the door and found Shane sitting on his bed watching television.

"Shane? You've got some visitors here who'd like to see you."

Shane looked away from the television set and toward the woman.

"Visitors?"

"Your daughter Emma and her friend."

"Emma?" Shane asked, growing enthusiastic. "Emma's here?"

Pierson stepped into the room, then Emma and JT followed.

"Hi…Dad," Emma greeted. Though it was difficult for her to consider Shane a true father, she knew it made him feel good to hear her call him Dad.

"Emma?"

Shane stared at her. Then he looked down at a framed photograph of her taken a couple of years earlier, which sat on a table beside his bed. Then he again looked at Emma and knew for sure that it was truly his daughter.

"Emma, you're really here!"

Shane stood up, walked toward her, but stopped and turned back. He went over to the television set, turned it off and then walked back over to her.

"Yes, I'm really here," Emma confirmed. "It's good to see you."

Shane then hugged her. Afterward, Pierson approached Emma.

"I'm going back to my office. If you need anything, or if the three of you want to go down to the cafeteria, just press that button on the wall next to the light switch and either I or the floor nurse will come back for you."

"Thanks," Emma replied, after which Pierson left the room.

"How are you, Emma? It's so good to see you. It must be 2 or 3 weeks since you were here the last time."

"Actually, it's been the better part of a year. Maybe more."

"Really? Okay. It's hard to keep track of the time here sometimes."

"Sorry it's taken so long to come back," Emma said, feeling guilty.

"Don't feel bad, Emma. You're a busy girl. Have you come to take me home?"

"No. I can't do that. Anyway, you ARE home."

"Right. Of course I'm home."

"How are you, Dad?" she asked.

"Who is that?" Shane questioned, pointing to JT. "Is he a new doctor?"

"No. I've brought him here so you two could finally meet. Dad, this is my best friend and boyfriend, JT…"

"Emma," Shane interrupted before she could say JT's last name, "I'm not a little kid. You don't have to spell out words for me. Just say them. And you don't have to spell out the curse words either. I know all of them. Want to hear me recite them?"

"Uh…no, maybe some other time. I wasn't spelling out a word. JT is his name. JT Yorke."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. McKay," JT said, extending his hand.

"You can call me Shane," the man said while shaking JT's hand. "Because that's my name. Even doctors can't change a name."

"All right. Shane it is."

"Do the letters J and T mean something?"

"James Tiberius," JT replied.

"James what?" Shane asked, looking confused.

"Tiberius," JT repeated.

Suddenly nervous, Shane stepped back from JT and turned to Emma.

"Emma?"

"Yes Dad?"

"Your friend seems to think he's a dinosaur. One of those Tiberius Rex things like in the movies on TV. Did you meet him here while you were visiting me two weeks ago? Is he another patient?"

"No, he's not a patient."

"Because I'm fine, Emma, but some of the people that live here aren't right in the head. You have to be careful."

"Tiberius is an old family name of some sort," Emma explained. "Nothing wrong, but you can see why he'd want to use only the initial."

"So he's safe?"

"The safest."

"Good." Shane, feeling more relaxed, then turned back to JT. "I'm glad to meet you, JT Rex."

"Dad, it's…"

"No, it's okay, Emma," JT told her, not feeling it necessary to correct the man.

"Why are we all standing up?" Shane asked. "The chairs work."

The three then found places to sit.

"Shane," JT began, "Emma's told me a lot of great things about you."

"Did Emma tell you that some people think I'm crazy?"

"She's told me what a nice guy you are and how glad she was when she finally found you a few years ago."

"Emma's a good girl. Been through so much. I'm stuck in here. And nobody's seen her mother Spike in years. I think she ran off with the exterminator."

"Dad," Emma interjected, "Mom is where she's always been. With me back in Toronto. She's married to Archie Simpson now, remember?"

"She is? Oh! That's right. Spike and Snake. I got it mixed up."

"So…" JT said, looking to steer the conversation in a new direction, "What do you do around here for fun?"

"I knit real good."

"That's what Emma says."

"But they only let me do it sometimes. They won't let me keep my knitting needles all the time now. They think I could hurt myself or other people."

"At least you get to use them sometimes," Emma commented.

"Yes."

"I brought you some new material. Ms. Pierson has the bag in her office. I'll give it to you before we leave."

"Thank you, Emma. You were always my favorite daughter."

"I'm your only daughter."

"See? It worked out good."

Emma couldn't help but smile.

"Also," Shane started again talking to JT, "they try to get us to do arts and crafts."

"I'm sure that must be fun," JT responded.

"No. The scissors they give you are like for little kids. You can't even get the things to cut through one sheet of paper very good. And no glue anymore since some of the others who live here used to try to sniff it."

"I'm sure you make the best of it," JT responded.

"I also got a TV. See?"

"Very nice."

"Are you two here to take me home?" Shane asked JT, not remembering that he'd already asked Emma a similar question.

"Um…it looks like you've got a nice set-up right here, Shane."

"Do you know Emma very long? I mean…Do you know her good?"

"I've known Emma since we were 4 years old."

"Wow!"

"Wow is right, Shane. And since then, it's been one adventure after another."

"You know her a lot more than me."

"You were here," Emma responded. "Don't feel bad. I understand."

"No, it's good he knows you so good," Shane told her. He then turned back to JT. "It's good you know her so good. Do you take care of her?"

"We take care of each other," JT replied.

"How old are you, JT Rex?"

"I'm 18."

"I used to be 18, too. And I think I was living here. It all goes by so fast. Sometimes slow. And then it's all over. Like nothing's happened and everything's happened. Missed out on so much. Can't be there for Emma. Wish it was different. Now she's all grown. Still love her. Always."

JT looks over at Emma, who's wiping a tear from her eye.

"You can be real proud of her, Shane."

"I am. Say, are you a new doctor here? I don't remember you."

"I'm JT. We just met today."

"Oh, yes. Of course. Emma?"

Emma stood and walked over to Shane, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm right here."

"Are we going home today, Emma?"

"You're home, Dad. You're…doing fine. And you're happy. Don't forget that."


	47. Choices

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Thanks to Maibe Josie, YellyBelly, Neviegirl, fcms1163, luvdegrassi12345 and GlamGlitterRockFabulous for your reviews and comments.

****

Chapter 47 - Choices

Several busy weeks passed after JT and Emma's Stouffville trip. In that time, JT paid Sal and took over ownership of TMD. As previously agreed upon, Sal continued to work at the theater in an advisory capacity, leaving JT the time to complete the remaining weeks of school while also learning more about what it takes to own the business.

Now, with end-of-term projects and final exams completed, all that remained for DCS's senior class was a graduation ceremony. But for JT and Emma, the night before this event was an opportunity for each to hang out with a friend – not to mention ponder the future.

At the Van Zandt house, Emma sat on Liberty's bed while class valedictorian Liberty stood and practiced her graduation speech.

"So, Emma, how did that sound?" Liberty asked.

"Just fine," Emma replied. "But then it also sounded fine the other two times you went through it."

"This will be my final address to the Degrassi student body. I don't want to make any poor word choices. Is there anything that you found questionable?"

"Well…" Emma hesitated.

"I need your honest appraisal, Emma. Don't try to spare my feelings."

"Honestly, I think it sounded really good, Liberty."

"Thanks."

"Except I'd lose that whole section in the middle where you're speaking entirely in French."

"Lose it?" Liberty grew concerned. "That was my way of showing support for multiculturalism among the students."

"Most of the students don't speak a word of French. Even the kids who've taken a year or two of the language aren't exactly fluent in it."

"You don't think removing that portion would count as pandering to the ignorance of the audience?"

"Consider it making sure you don't lose your audience before your final words. You wouldn't want anyone to tune you out, right, Liberty?"

"I suppose when you put it that way…All right, no bilingual elements."

Liberty walked over to her computer and started making edits to the speech.

"So how are you and Patrick doing?" Emma asked.

"Who?" Liberty replied."

"You know. Your boyfriend. Works at TMD. Parents own Ryan's. You may have heard of him."

"Sorry," Liberty responded, turning back around toward Emma. "I was just trying to get this edited. I wasn't paying attention. We're fine."

"You two made any fun summer plans?"

"I've been too busy to even think about the summer. Tying up loose ends with The Grapevine, finals, preparing this speech…"

"That's understandable. JT's been on the go practically this entire month. Luckily after tomorrow, he's taking a couple of days off to rest and recharge. No school AND no work. Then after that, Sal will be gone and JT will be in complete control. Well, he is already but…"

"But now it will truly feel like it. Without the safety net of having the previous owner around to help out."

"Exactly."

"Still, I know he's got to be tired, Emma."

"I'm sure he is, even though you'd never know it to look at him. But I was hoping that with me over here tonight and him taking the night off that he'd use the time to catch up on his rest."

"But…?"

"I should have known better than that. He said he gets enough sleep. To quote him: 'There'll be a lot of time for extra rest years from now when you and I are in an old folks home with nothing else to do but play shuffleboard and hope our false teeth don't crack on the lumpy oatmeal.'"

"So what IS JT doing this evening?"

"If I'm not mistaken, he's at Burger Time. Probably driving Sean crazy."

Several miles away, Sean was standing near a pool table toward the back of said restaurant watching JT shoot…and miss.

"I'm getting a lot better at this game," JT said with genuine optimism.

"Yeah," Sean responded sarcastically. "You haven't come close to making a shot, but at least you're not sending the cue ball sailing across the room anymore."

"One time that happened, a couple of weeks ago, and you're not going to let me forget it."

"JT, it hit an old man in the back of the head."

"It did not. It hit the back of his chair. Missed his head by at least two or three inches. And he was very nice about accepting my apology. No thanks to you, just standing there laughing. Anyway, you only wanted to teach me how to play this game because you're good at it, while you suck at ping-pong and can't handle me winning every game."

"I do NOT suck at ping-pong," Sean protested.

JT just stared at Sean and smirked.

"Okay, so maybe I do. Wouldn't happen if they made the paddles bigger so I could actually hit the ball."

"Excuses, excuses," JT said, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

"Number 23, your order's up," a voice called out over the loud speaker.

"That's us," Sean said. "Looks like you've been spared another defeat."

"Keep it up, Sean, and I'll have to challenge you to a pool cue sword fight. After all, I must defend my honor against all scoffers."

JT then lightly jabbed Sean in the stomach with the stick. In response, Sean rolled his eyes tried to keep a straight face.

"Are you done?" Sean asked, trying to sound unaffected.

"Who, me? Yes, I suppose so."

The two friends went up to the counter and retrieved their order – a hamburger for JT, veggie burger for Sean and two drinks – and then found a free table to sit at.

"You're really going to eat that?" JT asked, looking at Sean's meat-free sandwich.

"Yeah."

"I hear that if you eat enough of those veggie things, you turn green."

"I'll take my chances."

"I'll never understand how you, Emma and others can eat those things. You all should probably seek out medical attention for your impaired taste buds."

"Have you ever even tried one before, JT?"

"Yes. Once. Emma made me try one a few years ago."

"And you didn't like it? Even a little?"

"Are you kidding? All of those meat-protesters that love animals so much should be more sympathetic to us humans. My poor stomach deserved a candlelight vigil that night for all the suffering it endured."

"I see," Sean responded. "It's not easy being JT, is it?"

"It's a heavy burden, my friend, but someone's got to do it."

Just outside the restaurant, Craig and a young brunette were walking from the parking lot toward the door, with Spinner Mason following close behind.

"Spinner," Craig said in an annoyed tone, "in case you haven't noticed, I'm on a date."

"Yeah. And…?"

"So quit following us and go away."

"But you can't be serious about this."

"About wanting a Spin-free evening with my girlfriend? Trust me, I'm serious."

"No, not that," Spinner said as he followed them inside the restaurant. "I'm talking about the group."

"There is no group anymore," Craig said brusquely. "It was fun while it lasted but it's time to move on. We can talk more another time, but NOT tonight."

Craig then noticed JT and Sean sitting at a table across the room.

"Come on, Cathy. I see some other friends I'd like you to meet."

The pair approached the table, with Spinner on their heels.

"These guys will show you that I do indeed have some friends who are perfectly normal."

"But because I'm such a nice guy," JT said to Sean, unaware of the newcomers at the table "after my veggie burger experience I made Emma a promise."

"Oh?"

"I told her that if there's ever a time when the hamburger on my plate cries out to me saying 'Help me! Please don't eat me! Let me walk away in peace!' then I'll never eat another hamburger again."

"You're quite a guy."

"I know. It's a curse."

"Uh, see Cathy?" Craig asked hesitantly. "Perfectly normal friends."

JT and Sean then noticed they were no longer alone.

"Oh, hey Craig," JT greeted. "Hello back there, Spinner."

"Hey guys," Craig said. "I wanted you to meet my new girlfriend. I know I've said it before, but even though the two of us only met last week, I think this one could be the real thing. Cathy, this is Sean Cameron and JT Yorke."

"Nice to meet the two of you," Cathy said.

"Sean, JT, this is Cathy…uh…"

Sean rolled his eyes at Craig's uncertainty of the girl's last name while JT had to struggle not to laugh.

"Thomas!" Craig finally exclaimed. "It's Cathy Thomas."

"Thompson, actually," Cathy said icily.

"Right! Thompson. Just…uh…testing you. Seeing if you were paying attention."

"Now somebody ask Craig if Cathy spells her first name with a C or a K."

"Shut up, Spinner," Craig said, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed.

"Cathy," Spinner offered, "maybe it would be more helpful if I made the introductions. First, there's JT. He used to date a girl who also used to date Craig. Now he dates a girl who used to date Sean. Sean here used to date the girl JT's dating but is now dating the girl that both JT and Craig used to date. Don't worry. They didn't date her at the same time, although I know she once dated two Degrassi soccer players at the same time. As you can see, we've got a very close-knit group. And as for Craig? Well he dates you now, of course, but don't expect too much. In fact, I think he's dated or tried to date most of the girls in the county. Hey Craig, do you still have that 'Take a number' ticket machine outside your bedroom?"

Spinner was finished. Cathy looked appalled, Craig looked embarrassed, Sean just shook his head and JT was amused by the whole spectacle.

"You're an idiot, Spinner," Craig responded.

"Yeah? Well you're a…you're a…I don't know, but when I think of it, THAT'S what you are."

"Well put," JT said sarcastically.

"Where's your date, Spin?" Sean asked.

"I'm not here to date."

"There goes my 'imaginary girlfriend' theory," JT joked.

"Not now, okay?" Spinner said to JT. "You're never going to believe what Craig's trying to do."

"What's going on?" Sean questioned.

"He's just mad because I decided that it was time for the band to come to an end," Craig explained.

"Just like that," Spinner complained. "Can you believe it? No warning or anything."

In the midst of this conversation, Cathy – tired of standing around on her date with a man who had difficulty remembering her name – quietly walked away from the group and left the restaurant.

"No warning?" Craig asked, not noticing his date's departure. "Spinner, it's been obvious for a long time that it should have ended last summer after Jimmy and Marco each went away to school. Every new person we tried to bring in as a replacement wasn't a good fit. Downtown Sasquatch was about the four of us, high school buddies making music in a garage. High school's been over for a year. Time to let this go."

"Then forget a full group. We could be a two-man band. Partners."

"You mean the kind of partners where I write and sing all the material AND play the guitar while you sit behind me occasionally tapping on the drums?"

"Okay guys, calm down."

"Don't stop them, Sean," JT said between taking bites of his hamburger. "In your fancier restaurants, this would be what they call dinner theater."

"Don't make fun of how I play the drums, Craig. As for you being a guitar player…Did you ever get around to learning more than one chord?"

"Look, I'm getting more and more work as a photographer. And when I have the time to make music, I'm going to do it all on my own and see what I can do as a solo artist. And we talked about all of this in detail the other night. Sorry if that bothers you, Spin, but that's just the way it is. Now it's time for my girlfriend and I to get back to our date."

Craig looked around but didn't see the girl anywhere.

"Where did she go?"

"I think that's her getting into that cab," Sean said, pointing to the window through which they all saw a cab pulling away.

"Just great. Listen, I'll see you guys later. I'd better try to track Carrie down."

"I thought it was Cathy," Sean corrected him.

"Cathy! Right!"

"It's obviously true love," JT joked.

"Bye guys."

"Who wants to bet that he finds a new 'true love' while searching for Cathy?" JT asked after Craig left.

JT and Sean noticed that Spinner was still standing beside the table, looking lost.

"Uh, Spin…Want to sit down?" Sean offered.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Okay."

"The end of your band is not the end of the world," JT assured him.

"JT's right," Sean said. "Anyway, maybe with the new free time you can get in more hours at the bakery you work at."

"Dude, where've you been? I lost that job last month."

"Yeah, Sean. Spinner works at the bowling alley now."

"Until yesterday," Spinner said.

"Tell me you didn't get fired from another job already," JT said.

"I was carrying some bowling balls. Going to put them away. Then the manager stopped me so he could tell me something. While he was talking, one of the balls slipped out of my hands and landed on his foot."

"Okay," Sean commented, "I'm sure it hurt him, but I can't believe he'd fire you over a little accident that could happen to anyone."

"And then later on in the day, I got my foot caught in one of those ball-return machines."

"I'm not even going to ask…" Sean said.

"The boss had to call in a repairman. Took over two hours before I could get loose."

"And that's when you got fired," JT interjected.

"I was a victim of circumstance."

"So now what are you going to do?" Sean asked.

"I'll figure out something. Can't believe Craig. Taking away the one thing left that…Hey, JT, you still keep in touch with Paige, right?"

"Yeah, we usually e-mail back and forth a couple times a month. Why?"

"Is she coming home for the summer? Or staying there? Never mind. The two of us…that's been over since last summer, too. If she comes back, it's not because I'm still here."

Spinner then stood up.

"Where are you going now?" Sean asked.

"I don't know. Back to my place I guess. I need to figure something out."

"Hold up," JT said.

"We'll have to trade jokes some other time, JT. I've got stuff to deal with."

"Come work for me."

"What?"

"Don't make me say it again. The first time was painful enough."

"Forget it, JT. I don't take offers made out of pity."

"Yes you do."

"You're right. Yes I do."

"But that's not what this is. I need another full-time employee and was going to put an ad in the paper next week."

Spinner was happy about his friend's unexpected offer and had no intention of passing up the opportunity. Still, he felt it best to downplay his enthusiasm.

"So JT, what you're really saying is that if I accept, I'm doing YOU a favor. Saving you money on the ad."

"If you say so," JT replied sarcastically.

"Yeah. I'd be the one helping you out. Besides, you don't want strangers working for you."

"Spinner, I don't know anyone stranger than you."

"How big an office do I get?" Spinner asked.

"I don't know. I've never measured the broom closet."

"What's my title? Executive Manager?"

"I was thinking Lowly Underling."

"When do I start?"

"Come see me the first of next week and we'll sort it all out. I'll probably have you train with Pat. You can work food detail with him and Amanda."

"Great. Hey, is she hot?"

"Don't bother, Spin," JT replied. "Amanda's got a girlfriend."

"Ah. You mean she's lesbionic. That's okay. But is she hot?"

"God help me."

"Well, I'm off."

"We've always known that, Spinner," Sean said.

"No, I mean I'm outta here. See you later. And JT?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks," Spinner said with all sincerity. "Really. You won't be sorry."

After Spinner left, JT looked over at Sean.

"Don't say a word."

"That was a nice thing you did, JT, giving him that break."

"My first chance to hire somebody on my own and I end up with Spinner. Is it too soon for me to consider retirement? I'm obviously not well."

"Why did you do it?"

"I wasn't lying about planning to hire someone, so there's a lot for him to do. And he's a friend. One who could use some help. Ever since Paige turned down his offer to move in together last year, instead leaving to go to university in Peterborough, he's been walking around looking completely lost. Oh, and despite some bungled job situations this past year, he's got the food prep and customer service experience, and, unlike all his other bosses who couldn't put up with him for very long, I'm used to knowing how to deal with him. Okay, this isn't helping. I'm just scaring myself more and more."

"You've got nothing to worry about," Sean assured.

"Just keep telling me that."

"Unpredictability is your thing. This decision just fits right in."

"Good point," JT said.

"And I'm sure it won't be your last unusual decision."

"That's a given."

"JT, you sound like you already have something else in the works."

"I just mean in general. It's good when things can work out for everybody. Sure, some of the best movies don't have happy endings, including a lot of the movies we play at TMD. But in real life? That's a different story."

Later that evening, Liberty and Emma sat in the Van Zandt dining room eating a pizza they had ordered after Emma had finally convinced Liberty of the greatness of the graduation speech. Emma now noticed that Liberty was staring at her.

"Something wrong, Liberty?"

"Not at all. It's just…unusual. That's all."

"What is?"

"You. Your whole demeanor. You're so…unrelentingly happy."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"No. It's different, though."

"I'm often happy, Liberty. Especially this past year. You of all people ought to know that."

"I do, Emma. Except lately you've seemed both happy and completely relaxed. Even with the usual stress of finals, not to mention missing out on a couple of the scholarships you were hoping to receive. Through it all you've seemed unfazed."

"This is just a great time in my life. I recently turned 18. We're graduating tomorrow. Sure, I didn't get everything I was hoping for as far as scholarship funds, but I still got a fair amount. And even though I had misgivings about JT's plans and am still a little concerned about him overdoing it, I see how happy owning the movie theater makes him and how excited he is to get started making the place his own. And if it's possible, I think in the past month I've felt closer to him than ever. It's hard to explain, but since he accompanied me to see Shane a few weeks ago, I feel like we've added yet another bond to our relationship."

"It must have been very helpful for you to have him there."

"Absolutely, Liberty. After spending time with Shane, I always end up going through a roller coaster of emotions. I can do it on my own – and I have several times in the past – but having JT there made it so much easier. But our time with Shane wasn't all difficult. In particular, there was one moment that I'll never forget. Shane was talking, going on and on like he usually does. It doesn't always make sense, and I'm not sure how much he himself understands what he's saying most of the time. But he has his moments, rare as they are, when it's like the clouds are lifted and he seems to grasp reality. His reality, at least. And this visit, he had one of those lucid moments.

"He said, 'It all goes by so fast. Sometimes slow. And then it's all over. Like nothing's happened and everything's happened. Missed out on so much.' And he had this tone of regret in his voice. I think it's like deep down he knew how much he had lost and was trying to tell me not to take what I have for granted. That's a concept I understand, but don't always seem to be able to follow.

"Not long ago, someone accused me of being the kind of person who always sees the glass as half empty rather than half full. I don't believe it and have no use for the one who said it. But I will admit that I don't always take the time to be happy with all the good things in life. Of course there are so many things I want to accomplish. So many things I want to write about.

"But at the same time, I am looking forward to a quiet summer. A chance to relax, to enjoy what IS as opposed to worrying about what isn't, and of course to spend a lot of quality time with this great guy of mine. So much has happened in the past year. Some of the greatest things, and some of the most difficult. Now, it's time to rest. Aside from helping JT find a nice apartment he can move into within the next couple of months, we're going to have a wonderful, uneventful summer."

JT, meanwhile, returned home after eating and playing another game of pool with Sean. He walked toward his answering machine, but found that nobody had left a message. He then walked into his bedroom and tossed his wallet and keys on the bed. He turned to his desk, noticing the various pictures that sat there, some framed, some not. He knew one thing he'd soon have to do is figure out a good picture of Emma – though he considered them all good – to take to the theater to place on the desk in his office.

His office. He still had trouble getting used to that concept.

He then reached into a desk drawer and pulled out some papers and placed them on the desk. Newspaper ads and circulars. Specifically, these were jewelry store advertisements. He'd been gathering these in recent days. Researching the options.

He wasn't going to do something so clichéd as to propose to Emma on Graduation Day. In his mind, that is the stuff of sappy movies. Still, he knew that there was no doubt in his mind that Emma Nelson was the one. The only one. And with high school out of the way, the need for a new place to live, and a good future for each of them that was quickly becoming the present, he knew that sometime soon there would come a moment. An ideal moment. And then a question. The question.

'Yes,' he thought to himself as he scanned the advertisements. 'This is going to be a very busy summer. But a good one. In real life, there IS something to be said for a happy ending.'

**Next Chapter -** Graduation Day


	48. Graduation Day

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Thanks to Maibe Josie, YellyBelly, JeSsTeR, spider-man-fan and GlamGlitterRockFabulous for your encouraging feedback on Chapter 47.

****

Chapter 48 - Graduation Day

Life at Degrassi Community School was even more hectic than usual on this particular afternoon. A graduation ceremony would soon begin and the auditorium was gradually filling up. Outside on the front steps, JT was hanging out with Sean and Manny.

"So Manny, is your brother here today?" JT asked.

"No, he couldn't get back to town. My parents are inside, though."

"Great. Is there still time for me to get a ring-side seat to watch them meet Sean?"

"Very funny," Sean said. "Anyway, you're too late, I met them a few minutes before you got here."

"And?"

"And nothing," Manny said. "They exchanged Hellos, shook hands…"

At that point Sean interrupted.

"Don't forget your father staring at me and saying 'So this is the guy.'"

"Hey, I told you they wouldn't be a problem and they weren't. Besides, even without meeting you they already kind of liked you. That is, after I had assured them that you weren't a musician."

JT laughed and Sean rolled his eyes.

"And what about Tracker?" JT then asked Sean. "He showed up, right?"

"Yeah," Sean answered. "He's around here somewhere."

"That's good," JT said.

"What about you, JT?" Manny asked. "Think your dad…"

"Manny," Sean quickly interrupted. "Don't."

"It's okay, Sean," JT assured. "No, I doubt my so-called father is going to show up today. No phone calls from him in the last few days telling me to roll out the red carpet for him. He wouldn't be interested in something like this anyway."

"Sorry JT," Manny said, regretful that she brought up the subject and hoping she hadn't unintentionally ruined his day. "I just thought maybe enough time had passed and…"

"It's okay, Manny. Hey, between Emma, her family and my friends, I've got a lot of true family here today. Much better than having that guy show up."

Soon, Patrick walked up the steps and joined them beside the entryway.

"How's it going?" he greeted them.

"Hey Pat," JT responded. "Just the person I needed to see today."

"Oh?"

"I think I'll head inside," Manny said to JT and Sean. "I'll join Emma in saying my goodbyes to Courtney if I can find the two of them. You two don't stay out here too long or you'll be late."

"We'll be in soon," Sean told her and then Manny went inside the school."

"Pat, I've hired someone to work full-time starting next week," JT informed him.

"I see," Patrick said without enthusiasm.

"I'm going to want you to help train him behind the concession counter. Shouldn't be hard. He's got experience. Just not theater experience."

"What's he like?"

"You might remember him. It's Spinner."

"Spinner? As in Spinner Mason?"

"God, just imagine if there was more than one guy walking around calling himself Spinner," Sean said sarcastically.

"You're kidding right?" Patrick asked JT. "I mean, this is some sort of JT Yorke Official End-Of-School Practical Joke you're playing on me to make me crazy."

"No. I hired him last night."

"Last night? JT, you weren't working last night."

"It was while we were at Burger Time," JT explained. "Spinner just kind of showed up while me and Sean were hanging out and…Long story."

"Look, I don't know the guy that well, but he seems like…well, an idiot."

"He's not," JT said. "Don't worry."

"What happened to wanting everyone to be professional?" Patrick complained. "You got on my case a few weeks ago for being late and now you go and hire a guy who – from what I hear – has been fired from more jobs in the past year than there are business listings in the phone book."

"It hasn't been that bad. He'll do fine."

"Okay," Patrick said with displeasure. "Just don't say I didn't warn you when you finally figure out he's a walking disaster."

Patrick walked past JT and Sean and inside the building.

"He'll come around," JT told Sean. "Anyway, it's not like he could have talked me into changing my mind."

"Aw…Trouble in Loser Paradise?" a sarcastic voice asked them from several feet away.

JT and Sean turned away from the door and saw Jay Hogart standing at the bottom of the steps.

Within the building, Emma and Courtney stood outside of the auditorium near the door talking.

"It's great that you and your family are getting a chance to go on vacation," Emma said. "It's just too bad you're leaving town first thing tomorrow morning. You sure you can't come out with us tonight?"

"Thanks, but I really need to finish packing. I'll be back in a few weeks and we can do something then. Maybe another one of those movie nights at your house."

"Good. And we can't put it off. It won't be that long after you're back before you'll have to leave again. This time for school."

"We'll still have plenty of time."

Out of the corner of her eye, Emma recognized someone in the distance.

"Excuse me for a minute, Courtney."

Emma walked down the crowded hallway until she reached the person she had noticed.

"Hi," she said. "It's been awhile."

At the same time, Liberty was standing in the Grapevine newsroom reading over note cards as Patrick looked on.

"What's wrong with him?" Patrick asked Liberty.

"Wrong with whom?" Liberty responded, still trying to concentrate.

"JT."

"Nothing's wrong with him," she said decidedly. "Why do you ask?"

"Weren't you listening? He's bringing in Spinner Mason. Full-time."

"Are you fired?"

"No."

"Then there's no problem."

"I just don't get him sometimes," Patrick continued.

"Spinner?"

"No!" he said, annoyed that his girlfriend didn't seem to be paying attention. "JT. Between his friendship with Sean Cameron – who should probably be in jail considering his past – and now hiring Spinner…I tell you Liberty, Emma Nelson may be the one interested in animal rights, but JT seems to be the one constantly taking in useless strays."

"Don't you think you're exaggerating?" Liberty asked, finally looking up from her reading.

"He could have offered ME the chance to move up to full-time."

"Is that what this is about? Patrick, you're attending school this Fall. He needs someone he can rely on long-term. Plus, he probably knows that taking you away from your other part-time job – working at your family's place – might put your parents in a bind. Gavin Mason might seem an unusual selection, but I'm certain JT knows what he's doing and has made a sound decision."

"Naturally," Patrick said sarcastically. "Of course, you'd sooner walk barefoot across hot coals than ever say that JT Yorke could be wrong about anything."

"What?"

"Liberty, I'm trying to tell you that I'm disappointed with one of his decisions. Can't you at least consider my point of view before immediately taking JT's side?"

"There are no sides," Liberty argued. "He made a business decision as an employer. You, as an employee, disagree with it but will have to deal with it. There's no reason to involve me."

"Except you're my girlfriend and it would be nice to come to you with something that's bugging me and not automatically hear that I'm wrong or exaggerating. I think if the positions were reversed and JT worked for me, you'd be in my face trying to convince me to get rid of the person I just hired and give JT the better job no matter what reasons I had for why I hired the other guy."

"Patrick, I don't always agree with JT. When I don't, I'm certainly not afraid to tell him."

"But you feel guilty when you have to. I know you seem to think he's the greatest guy in the world, but can't you even try to keep your JT bias under control one time?"

"I've told you before and will tell you again – I am not in love with JT. He's very important to me, but those particular feelings for him – those of a romantic nature – are part of the past."

"I know. But you've also said he's your best friend. That's fine, but if you're not too busy you might try and remember that I'M your boyfriend."

By this time, Liberty was frowning. She'd had enough.

"The only one that's trying to compare you with JT is you. Although I will say that at least JT would never come in here and pick a fight with me right before I have to go out and make a speech."

Patrick sighed. He didn't want to argue with her and he certainly didn't want to upset her.

"You're right, Liberty. I shouldn't have started this. Like you said, JT needs someone else there working full-time who won't have to give it up in a few months. It just caught me off guard, especially considering his choice. And I know his friendship is important to you. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"I suppose," she replied, her anger slowly melting away.

"Anyway, it's up to me to help train the guy."

"See? You're hardly being left out of the loop."

Patrick decided to move the conversation on to a more upbeat topic.

"I can't wait to see you up there in a few minutes giving your speech, Ms. Valedictorian."

"I'll be glad when it's over."

"Don't worry, Liberty. You're ready. The speech will be fine."

"I'm not worried, Patrick," Liberty said matter-of-factly. "I am not someone who worries. Occasionally I might have reason to feel apprehensive, but a worrier I am not."

"And what's the difference between worry and apprehension?"

"Worriers tend to fret and even perspire," she explained. "That is not me."

"Well whatever you are, we should get to the auditorium."

"Go on ahead, since you'll need to find out where you're supposed to sit. I'm to sit up on stage, so I'll go in soon."

"Okay. Good luck, Liberty."

He gave her a brief kiss and then started toward the door, but then he turned back around.

"We're okay. Right?"

Liberty decided that even though she was not wrong, perhaps she could have tried harder to look at things from Patrick's perspective. Feeling that they were now indeed okay, she walked over toward him and this time she initiated a kiss. This one lasted longer than the previous kiss.

"Still think I need a reminder that you're my boyfriend?" she asked afterward.

"We are definitely okay," Patrick said, pleased with and reassured by Liberty's kiss. "I'll see you soon."

He then left the room and she returned to studying her note cards. Patrick knew that Liberty was being honest about having only platonic feelings for JT, but there were moments when he believed that she would never feel the same connection to him as she did to her best friend. Still, he believed Liberty was worth it. He now felt that perhaps not getting the full-time job wouldn't be so bad. It would give the couple more time to have a fun summer together.

Emma, meanwhile, stood at the back of the auditorium in the midst of conversation.

"It's good to see you again, Tracker," she said to Sean's older brother. "And though he probably wouldn't admit it out loud, I know Sean's got to be very happy you're here today."

"I've gotta say, Emma, for awhile there I had my doubts that I'd ever be in this place for this reason, getting ready to watch Sean graduate."

"You must be very proud of him," Emma said.

"Yeah. Graduating from school. Working at a job where he can really use his skills. And he's got himself some real friends again and not that trash he'd gotten mixed up with. Congratulations to you too, Emma. Sean's told me he's never seen you as happy as you are now."

"It's been a great year," Emma explained, "but even still, I think the best is yet to come."

Outside, Sean stood on the steps next to JT, the person he had come to consider his closest friend, while looking down at Jay, the person he once – regrettably – thought of as his closest friend.

"Jay Hogart," JT said with a smirk on his face. "Proof that no matter how good you exterminate the place, pests have a way of coming back."

"Don't even try to take me on, JT Dork."

"As clever as you are? I wouldn't dream of it. I mean, nobody's thought to change 'Yorke' to 'Dork' since at least Grade 4. You're an insult genius."

"What are you doing here?" Sean asked, clearly not thrilled by Jay's sudden appearance.

"I just had to see for myself, Cameron. You actually fooled those people in there into thinking you were smart enough to graduate?"

"I guess we all can't be like you and get expelled," Sean answered.

"Yeah," JT added, "Raditch tossing you out of here a couple years ago has to be up there as one of the smartest things he's ever done as principal. But I forget why he got rid of you. Was it because you were one part thug and two parts idiot? Or was it two parts thug and one part idiot? I always get it mixed up."

"Shut up before I shut you up."

JT rolled his eyes, not impressed with Jay's tough talk.

"Feel free to leave anytime, Jay," Sean interjected.

"Look, Cameron. You were never anything special. But at least you had a chance at something real when I let you hang out with me."

"See, Sean," JT said casually, "this is Jay referring to that elite group of his that thought prancing around the halls frowning while stealing school supplies made people afraid. Yeah, afraid we wouldn't be able to stop laughing."

"Nobody ever laughed at me," Jay protested. "They wouldn't dare."

"Is there a point to any of this?" Sean asked.

"Making you a part of my group was the best thing that could have happened to you. Not like anyone else gave a damn about you or ever will. But, no, you had to go and get picky.

"By getting picky," JT followed up, "I think he means getting a conscience."

"You weren't too good to steal stuff right along with me. For months. But when it came time to start getting rough with some people to make sure we'd get what we want, you decide you're better than all that. I got news for you. No matter how good you think you are now, that guy who used to be right there with me, when we did whatever we wanted just for the hell of it, THAT'S who you really are. Some piece of crap diploma can't change that."

Jay then pointed to JT.

"Hanging out with losers like this can't change it either," Jay added.

"Go to hell, Jay," Sean responded calmly, determined not to allow Jay to make him lose his temper.

"Someday. And when I get there, I'll save a place for you, Cameron. You'll show up there sooner or later. But have fun today, acting like you're just like the rest of them."

Jay then turned and walked away.

"Give my regards to your fellow dregs of humanity," JT called out.

Without turning around, Jay raised up his right arm and extended his middle finger while continuing to walk away.

"Not very classy," JT said, "but a better comeback than if he had tried to speak. Even HE seems a little smarter when he doesn't try to use words."

JT then turned back to Sean.

"You okay?" JT asked.

"Yeah."

"You know none of that stuff he said was true."

"I know," Sean responded. "Jay was just being his usual dumbass self. I just can't believe I didn't see it back then. That I bought into all of that."

"That was a long time ago, Sean. Beyond ancient history."

"Never again," Sean said with confidence.

"No doubts about that. Now lets get inside and find Emma and Manny. It's almost time to put on those silly looking graduation caps."

"JT, we've seen you with a lampshade on your head before. Don't tell me you're going to start getting critical now."

"Very funny."

A short time later, the graduating class was all seated in the first several rows of the auditorium and the ceremony began.

Christine "Spike" Nelson sat slightly further back, young Jack sitting on her lap so he would be able to see everything. She watched as her husband, sitting among those on stage, stood up and made the opening remarks. Though Spike had never considered herself a particularly religious person, in the past several years not a day went by that she didn't say a silent prayer of thanks that Snake had survived the cancer. She was especially happy he was alive on this day to see Emma graduate. It had taken time, but she knew that her daughter had come to see him as a father, and that Snake couldn't love Emma more even if she were biologically his own.

Spike then rolled her eyes as Dan Raditch was the next person to make some comments. She noted that he sounded just as smug and full of self-importance as he did back when she attended school and he was a teacher. Still, she believed it wouldn't feel like Degrassi without him.

Soon, Liberty went to the podium. Though she had taken her note cards with her, she didn't once look down at them. If she was nervous, it didn't show in her demeanor. There were a couple of instances in her speech where she included humorous comments. Spike noticed that the wording sounded slightly different than the rest of the speech; sounding more like something JT might say. Spike had a hunch that Liberty must have asked JT for a few remarks she could add to her speech to punch it up. It had the desired effect, giving moments of levity to an already good oration.

Eventually, the main event began as names were called out, seniors walked forward and onto the stage and they each received a diploma. Going alphabetically, that put Emma near the middle of the bunch. While Jack waved upon seeing his big sister in the spotlight, Spike was both watching her daughter and feeling around in her purse for a tissue to wipe away the oncoming tears forming in her eyes.

Spike loved both of her children very much, but felt a special bond with Emma. This was her firstborn. Her only daughter. And for many years, the one constant in this mother's life. Spike felt that, in many ways, she and Emma had grown up together. Both of them as a team learning how to survive and succeed despite – and because of – life's many obstacles. Though it was far from easy, and there were plenty of mistakes made, to Spike this only made the present feeling of accomplishment that much greater.

Emma's mother watched as more names were announced and more diplomas handed out. Near the end, it became JT's turn to walk across the stage. Upon seeing him, Jack once again waved with enthusiasm.

Prior to the ceremony, Spike had scanned the auditorium. She doubted that JT's father would put in an appearance, but a part of her had hoped that perhaps something existed deep inside the man that would make him feel the need to be there to watch this public recognition of his son's educational accomplishments. She also knew it was probably for the best that the man, true to form, was a no-show.

Watching JT on the stage, Spike saw the little boy who would do crazy things like encourage Emma to join him in hanging upside down on the playground monkey bars making monkey-like sounds, and she also saw the responsible young man who was still encouraging Emma to try new things…and loving her.

Spike had always liked JT, but one of the things she had come to appreciate most about him was the great respect he showed toward her daughter. There was obvious mutual respect between JT and Emma, even when they didn't always agree with one another. Even when they didn't always understand one another. She'd always told Emma to never let anyone get away with disrespecting her or trying to make her feel like something less than what she was. Whatever direction the relationship took in the future, Spike believed that this respect would hold the couple in good stead.

Yes, Spike was very proud of BOTH of her graduates on this day.

Much later that night, Emma led JT by the hand into his office at The Movie Difference.

"What are we doing here, Emma?"

"You'll see," she replied while turning on his desk lamp.

"I still had lots of partying left in me."

"I know, JT. And when you started to yell out suggesting a limbo contest, I knew it was time for a break."

"But I'm not tired."

"I meant a break for everyone else."

"You wound me," JT said, clutching his heart.

"Tough love. But don't worry. We'll go back soon enough. Anyway, this place has closed for the night. Sal already locked up and went home. This is the perfect opportunity."

"For what?" JT was curious.

"For you to finally make this your office."

"It's been my office for a month."

"I mean for real. I know you haven't felt like this theater was officially yours yet, even though you've paid for it and you take care of all the important business. But a few hours ago we graduated. That part of our lives is done. In a couple of days you'll be here full-time. No more advisory presence of the previous owner. Or trying to balance work with school. I wanted a quiet moment here with you beforehand."

Emma then reached into her purse and pulled out a slender box.

"Here," she said, handing him the box.

"Emma, I didn't know we were supposed to get each other graduation presents. I don't…"

Emma stopped him with a brief kiss.

"It's not for graduation," she explained. "It's more of a…well, I suppose housewarming isn't the right word. Business warming. That's it. Consider this a business warming gift."

JT opened the box. Inside was a metal nameplate for his desk. Silver with black lettering that said "JT Yorke" on the upper half and "Proprietor" in smaller letters underneath.

"Emma…"

"You didn't have a desk nameplate and you hadn't said anything about getting one. So…voila!"

"You shouldn't…"

"And if you tell me I shouldn't have gone to all the trouble," Emma interrupted, "or shouldn't have spent the money, I'll have to hit you over the head with it."

JT laughed.

"It didn't cost that much, but even if it had it would have been worth it. Because you're worth it. It and a whole lot more."

"Thanks, angel."

JT placed the nameplate front and center on his desk.

"You're welcome. Actually, the gift was just to butter you up," Emma joked. "I want you in a good mood since you know I'm going to keep a close eye on you to make sure this place steers clear of any and all health code violations."

"Oh, is that so?" JT asked, smiling as he pulled Emma closer to him.

"Wouldn't be good to have your girlfriend out front picketing."

"Emma, I'm sure we can always find…peaceful ways to communicate."

JT then kissed her.

"Love you Jamie."

"Love you too. And it really is a good thing you gave me that nameplate."

"Oh?"

"You know how you effect me, Emma. Kissing you this way…and holding you this way…soon I won't even be able to remember what my name is."

Emma smiled.

"Welcome to your office, JT Yorke."


	49. Home Sweet Home

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

****

Chapter 49 - Home Sweet Home

Weekday mornings inside The Movie Difference were generally quiet. With the first shows starting at midday, most employees didn't usually come in until mid-morning, giving owner JT Yorke plenty of time to deal with many of the behind-the-scenes aspects of the operation. This could include anything from making a dent in an ever-growing mound of paperwork to formulating new work schedules for the employees to holding or attending business meetings.

This particular Tuesday morning was no exception. As usual, JT was already in the building, though at the moment not in his office. Instead, it was Ellie Nash who stood alone in the office. She looked around this room that she had visited many times before and then turned her attention to JT's desk. She noticed something new – a framed picture sitting to one side of the desk facing his chair. Ellie picked it up to take a look at what was in the picture. She discovered that this was a photograph of Emma Nelson.

"That was taken last Christmas," Ellie heard a voice from behind say.

She turned and saw JT entering the room with two bottled waters in hand.

"That sweater she's wearing was a gift from her folks earlier that day," he added. "Nice picture, don't you think?"

Ellie looked back down at the picture in her hand.

"It's a nice frame," she replied.

"Yeah, that's good, too," JT said, not picking up on Ellie's intentional lack of recognition of the actual photo.

JT then handed her one of the bottles of water and she put the picture back on the desk.

"Thanks," she said as she sat down in the chair facing the desk. JT in turn sat down behind his desk.

"Thank YOU for meeting me this morning, Ellie. I had an idea about… Hold on. Now I'm starting to sound like some corporate type who's all business."

"Somehow, I don't think that will ever become a problem for you," Ellie assured. "JT, I have a little confession to make."

"Oh?" JT was curious.

"A couple of years ago when you started working here, I was positive you were going to be the worst thing that ever happened to this place."

JT laughed.

"Ah, the love of friends," JT then responded sarcastically. "Nothing can beat it."

"Okay, I may have exaggerated slightly," she continued. "But still, I hardly knew you back then. You seemed like a good enough mascot, but you didn't appear to me to be someone who could take working here seriously. Sure, you had good enough taste to work here as opposed to the theater in the mall, but I figured you'd get bored of this place within a month."

"I was just hoping I wouldn't get fired within a month," JT interjected. "I did fine with the first job I got assigned – selling tickets. But one night when two people called in sick and I was asked to cover for them behind the counter fixing and selling food…huge disaster. I could handle taking care of one customer at a time. Dealing with several at once? Wasn't a pretty sight.

"Until that happened, I never really took the whole food service thing too seriously. I actually ended up with a new respect for the kind of work Spinner did so well back when he was at The Dot. Talk about a scary feeling."

"But you didn't get fired. Or quit. And soon you were basically put in charge of customer service because – food serving disaster aside – you proved to be great at helping people out. Really listening to concerns and criticisms and trying to make things work so that every customer would have a happy experience. You even put up with me prodding you concerning movies I thought your boss should work harder to acquire."

"And the more we talked and got to know each other, the more the iceberg known as Ellie Nash started to thaw out," JT joked.

"Iceberg?" she repeated, pretending to sound offended.

"Kidding. But I hardly knew you either. What? Are you going to sit there and say you weren't cold to me at first?"

"No, I can't say that," she smiled. "That didn't last very long, though. I'm glad things turned out the way they did. Getting to know you has been nice, and you've become a good friend. Good for me, and certainly good for this business. And look at you now. The owner."

"How do you think I'm doing so far?"

"You're looking good," she said quickly, but then immediately realized that could be interpreted in more than one way. "Um…I mean, everything here looks good so far since you've taken over."

"I do what I can," he replied.

"I was a little concerned when I saw that you hired Spinner Mason, but chalk that up to a certain amount of inescapable cynicism on my part."

"He needed someone to give him a break," JT explained, "and I knew he could do the job. He's been here a couple of weeks now and we haven't had to call in the fire department once."

"You're happy?" Ellie then asked. "In general, I mean."

"Let's see…There's a woman I'm crazy about who happens to be crazy about me in return. I've got good friends. Work that I really like. Nah, I'm miserable."

Ellie laughed.

"But what's been going on with you, Ms. Nash? I haven't seen you around in over a week."

"Busy."

"No doubt. Now that you're back at the station full time for the summer, you must be real busy."

"Yeah. Caitlin's already got enough research work lined up for me to last the entire summer. She'd probably have enough to last me the rest of the year if I wasn't going back to school in the Fall."

"You get moved into the apartment okay?" he then asked.

"No problem," she replied.

"You should have asked me to help out, Ellie. I'll have you know I can lift three boxes at a time with both hands tied behind my back."

"Uh-huh. Well, as much as I would like to see you prove that, there really wasn't a whole lot to move."

"So how does it feel having your own place?" he asked.

"It's okay," she answered. "Nice. And cheap."

"Always a good combination."

"Now, I have a question for you, JT."

"What is it?"

"What sort of business did you want to talk about this morning?"

JT laughed.

"Yeah, Ellie, we did kind of get off track. Not that 'off track' is a bad thing. Anyway, I'm thinking about doing some advertising."

"Don't you already do that?"

"Print ads, yeah. But I've always thought we should do some TV spots. Sal never wanted anything to do with TV. He was one of those old-school types who still thought television was the enemy of film and the reason less people go to movies than in 'the good old days.'"

"As opposed to the greater number of crap movies out there making people not want to spend the ever-increasing ticket prices," Ellie added.

"Right. And even if he didn't think that way, I know he wouldn't have wanted to spend the money. So when I first decided to buy this place, one of my goals was to at least give TV ads a shot. And seeing as how you're my only friend in the TV biz…"

"I'm a researcher, JT. Important work, but not very high up on the corporate food chain."

"But you know people who would tell you things, Ellie. Things they might tell you before they'd tell a possible advertiser. Theaters that cater to the mainstream might be effective with ads in prime-time, but we need to get even more of the indies and oldies crowd than we've got now. After that, THEN we can worry about going after more of the mainstream crowd.

"I'm thinking a brief ad or two that would run a few times at night after the late news would probably be our best bet. At least to start. Maybe you could ask around. See if that's a good idea for a place like this, or if I'm way off. People at the station are sure to know who their main audience is for each part of the day."

"I can do that," Ellie responded. "Can't promise you I'll find out very much, but it's worth asking a few questions about demographics."

"Thanks. Once I have a clearer picture, I can start thinking more about making the ads. Should I write them myself, or work with a co-writer? Who would be the best person or persons to appear in the ads? That kind of stuff."

"I like how you've got a good idea but you're okay about not hurrying ahead with it until you know that it's exactly the right deal. I know it would be tempting to rush right into something major."

"You're right, Ellie," JT said. He then looked over at the picture of Emma. "But then there are also some things that you know have been right from the very beginning, and the time for waiting is over."

By midday, customers started showing up and business was running smoothly. With everything under control and his staff doing their jobs, JT was able to leave for his lunch hour. As planned, Emma picked him up and the couple set out on a mission.

"So, were there any online listings that you think would be any good?" JT asked while Emma drove.

"A few," Emma replied. "I made some printouts. They're in that folder on the back seat."

JT reached around and grabbed the folder.

"Don't worry," she told him. "There's a nice apartment somewhere out there with your name on it."

"I'm not worried, Emma. I'll just feel better knowing there's something out there that's ready for when the time comes."

"We'll find you something, JT. And, though I don't expect it to, if it seems like this process is going to take longer than we think, well then Nathaniel Yorke will just have to wait awhile longer before he can sell his house out from under you. You know I'd be glad to tell him so, too."

"My hero." He smiled, hoping his response didn't sound sarcastic. His hero – one of the many things Emma was to him.

Soon, while waiting at a stoplight, Emma turned and noticed that JT's eyes seemed to be focused in the direction of her steering wheel, and that he was specifically staring at her hands.

"Anything wrong?" she asked.

"Huh?" JT asked before he stopped staring. "No. Nothing at all. Just thinking. What's first on the list?"

"As it turns out there's a vacancy in the apartment complex where Caitlin Ryan used to live. Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out to be the same apartment?"

"It's not," he said quickly, "and we should probably skip to the next one on the list."

"How come?" she asked, looking to him for an explanation.

"Green light," JT said instead of answering.

"What?" Emma looked confused.

"Go," JT said, pointing toward the now-green stoplight.

"Oh."

"You wouldn't like the building," he explained as Emma resumed driving. "Trust me."

"Still waiting to hear the reason," she pressed.

"Ellie lives in Caitlin's old apartment," he told her.

"Ellie as in Ellie Nash? What did she do? Show up in her dark clothing, a scowl on her face and several voodoo dolls in hand, thereby putting enough fear into the landlord so that he'd agree to rent her an apartment just to avoid any trouble?"

"That's not very nice, Emma."

"I thought I was being overly kind," she said in a lighthearted but sarcastic tone.

"The way Ellie explained it to me, Caitlin's had that apartment for years and gets a good deal on the rent."

"But she lives with Joey and Angela."

"True, but apparently since every year or so something seems to happen and the two end up needing a little break from each another, she hasn't wanted to get rid of it for good. From what Ellie's told me, it's Caitlin's 'just in case' place for when they want time apart. So since she's not using it for anything but storage space these days, she agreed to sublet it to Ellie at a good rate. Caitlin continues to keep the apartment in her name, now at little cost to her. And it gives Ellie an easy-to-afford place to stay this summer without having to camp out at the Kerwin house."

"At least nobody can ever accuse Caitlin of not helping out charity cases," Emma smirked.

"Emma…"

"Sorry. Couldn't resist. Look, JT, this is going to be your apartment. Don't avoid looking at this complex just because I don't care for one of your potential neighbors."

"Emma, I'm counting on you spending a lot of time at whatever apartment we discover. You and Ellie anywhere near each other on a regular basis with me as the friendly referee who's always caught in the middle has all the makings of a bad TV sitcom. So let's forget about that. What's next on the list?"

"There are several openings at a complex only a few miles from TMD," she answered, motioning for him to turn to the next page in the small stack of printouts.

Within minutes the couple reached said complex. They were able to look at two vacant one-bedroom apartments, and then the manager urged them to see a third, larger place.

Once at the door to this third apartment, JT and Emma followed the woman inside.

"I'm going to look around," Emma said, heading toward a bedroom.

"This one would cost you a little more than either of the others," the manager told JT as they stood in the living room, "but it's also the biggest of the apartments currently available."

"I understand, Ms. Hobbs," JT responded. "Never hurts to look."

"Precisely. And even though it's outside of the price range you gave me earlier, think of how much extra space you'd have if you chose this one."

"But…"

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those pushy people you hear about who will say anything to rent out an apartment."

"That's good to know."

"But how about it, Mr. Yorke? I know that back in the office you said you weren't planning to make a final decision today. What can I do to help change your mind about that plan?"

"Nothing really. Look, Ms. Hobbs, this apartment search has just started today. I have the money, so I can afford the extra cost of an apartment this size if I wanted to, but I'd rather try to work inside that range I gave you. Besides, something like those other two you showed us felt more like the kind of place I could see me and…Those just felt more…home-like. You get my point, right?"

"Of course," the woman replied, though she didn't seem too concerned about anything he had just said. "Hopefully, though, as you look around you might still find this apartment suitable enough to end your search sooner than expected."

JT rolled his eyes. He realized this woman was determined to do her best to convince him to rent the larger, more expensive apartment.

"Whether it's an apartment in this complex or someplace else, all I'm doing today is looking around. There are still a few things…up in the air. Until that's taken care of, I'm not agreeing to anything."

"I see. All right. I won't press you. But don't wait too much longer. These apartments never stay vacant for very long."

"I know. Thanks for the warning."

"Now I should return to my office, but feel free to look around the apartment for awhile. Then when you bring back the key, you can ask me any questions you might have about any of the three apartments you've seen today."

"Will do. Thanks for the help."

The woman walked out the door, leaving JT alone in the living room.

'Yeah,' he thought to himself with amusement, 'it's a good thing you're not one of those pushy people.'

Emma, meanwhile, stood in the middle of an empty room, obviously intended to serve as the master bedroom. She smiled as she envisioned a fully furnished area. Curtains over the windows. Classic movie posters on one wall. Pictures of the couple on a desk in the corner. Queen-sized bed up against another wall. She felt her smile grow larger at the thought of the bed. She also noticed that this bedroom came with its own private bathroom.

She walked into the bathroom. Though she started to walk right back out, she stopped. Emma stared at the bathtub. Nothing out of the ordinary about the space. But in her mind she could see a shower curtain. And behind the curtain, warm water flowed. In her thoughts, steam gradually filled the room. But the steam didn't prevent Emma and JT from seeing one another as they stood together in the tub, water coming down on top of them. All other cares and concerns put on hold as they focused only on being together in every conceivable way.

"Emma?" JT called out as he entered the bedroom.

His girlfriend, still lost in thought, smiled but said nothing in response. JT then put a hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.

Emma turned around.

"Hey," she said, pleased to see him. "Guess I was…lost in thought."

"Troubled?"

"On the contrary. Lost in good thoughts. Extremely good thoughts."

"So, have you seen anything you like so far today?"

"Uh-huh. I'm looking right at him."

"I like the way you think," JT said before giving her a brief kiss. "How about as far as apartments go?"

"Well, do you think you'd like it here at this complex?" she asked.

"I want to know your opinion, Emma. If you were making the decision, what would you decide?"

"We've seen some nice apartments here. Now something like this particular apartment…it has a certain charm, but seems a little big. At least for a first place. I know the smaller second bedroom could be good for storage. Or maybe as a home office. But, if it were my choice, I'd focus on finding something more along the lines of those one-bedroom apartments we saw first. I think we…or rather, I think you could create the same level of charm if not more.

"As far as space, there's a lot more room in one of those apartments than it might seem at first glance. It's all in how you use the space. And they really looked like they'd be cozy. Comfortable. Something you could make into a really nice first home. Not to mention that it would be relatively inexpensive. I know you want to try to keep your expenses reasonable. But you're the one who's going to have to live wherever it is. Maybe I'm wrong and you might change your mind and want to go all out."

"You mean like a penthouse suite in some fancy high-rise? Sounds fun. For maybe a week. I want something normal, Emma. Something that feels real. Something that…"

"Something that what?" Emma asked when she noticed that JT wasn't going to finish his sentence.

"Nothing," he replied, having caught himself before saying more than he was currently ready to. "I just like that we're thinking the same way about this. But we should keep looking, right?"

"Absolutely."

"I mean, I think it's a good idea to look at several more places over the next few days. Get a feel for what all is out there before making any kind of final decisions."

"Yes," Emma said, her eyes fixated on him. "I certainly like the idea of us feeling for things."

"Huh?"

Emma's eyes widened as she suddenly realized what she had said.

"I mean…getting a feel for things," she quickly added. "Apartments. Options. So many for you to choose from."

"Oh. Yeah. You're right, Emma."

JT then took hold of her left hand with his right.

"How about we return the key back to the office?" he asked. "Then we can check out the next building on the list. And after, if you got time, we can get some sandwiches and take them over to my office."

"Good idea. You know that I'm keeping an eye on Jack in the afternoon, but we've still got plenty of time."

"Remind me…when is it that you start that new part-time job?"

"Next week," Emma replied. "You know, most of it is stuff I can do from home."

"They'll have you in the office running the place before the summer's over."

"Yes, from stuffing envelopes to complete control in three months," she said jokingly.

"Don't undersell it, Emma. You're not just stuffing the envelopes. You're getting to help fact check the copy on some of those pamphlets and leaflets. That animal protection group's media relations department is lucky to have you. Even if they aren't paying you anywhere near what you're worth."

"Considering the group's budget, I'm lucky to get what they offered. Anyway, you know it's more than just the money. It's being part of the group. And the chance to have something on my resume besides my part-time job last summer of answering phones and taking down appointments at my mom's salon."

"Good point."

"JT, I really think you're off to a good start today."

"Couldn't do it without you, Emma."

As they walked out of the bathroom, Emma noticed JT looking at their clasped hands; his eyes once again particularly focused on her hand.

"JT, you're staring again."

"What?"

"Do I have some wart on my hand that can only be seen through your eyes?"

"Funny. And no, I'm not staring."

"Sure, whatever you say, JT. You can be so weird sometimes."

"And you wouldn't want me any other way," JT smirked.

Emma couldn't help but smile at his response.

"Sometimes, Mr. Yorke, I think you know me all too well."

"Too well, Emma? Not possible."

That evening, after leaving work for the night, JT found himself standing in front of a jewelry store. He'd looked through all the advertisements and circulars he was going to over the past few weeks. After days of thinking and examining the situation, he knew it was time. Since he woke up this morning he knew in both his mind and his heart that this was the day for moving forward.

A few years earlier, JT Yorke's top priorities included attaining school popularity and finding new ways to keep his friends laughing.

Times change.

These days, JT was far less concerned with his own status and more interested in increasing the popularity of his business. But he still liked to keep his friends – some he was even closer to nowadays than ever – happy.

Still, there was one part of his life that took precedence above all else – his relationship with a certain beautiful young blonde. It's a relationship that began as a friendship. A friendship that had been important to him throughout his life. But last year this best friend became the love of his life. From the start of their romance, he considered them a 'together forever' couple, knowing – and not caring – that he was probably breaking some unwritten Guy Code for even thinking in such committed terms.

He had a plan in mind for this coming Saturday night. But before then, one of the steps he had to take was to walk through the door and into this store. He paused for a moment. He knew that this was more than just the door to a shop. If he walked through this door, there was no turning back. Things would change – permanently – before the week was over.

JT grinned, and then he opened the door and walked on through.

He walked slowly into the room. His head moved back and forth surveying the various glass cases containing merchandise.

An older man stood behind the counter eyeing JT's every move. As JT moved closer to the counter, this man decided it was time to speak up.

"Good evening, young man. Are you lost?"

"Lost? No. Why?"

"Then can I be of some assistance?" the salesman offered, sounding skeptical.

"Rings."

"Have you anything in particular in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking the kind that go on your finger."

"What I MEANT was…"

"Don't worry," JT interrupted. "I've been studying my girlfriend's finger."

"That sounds possibly perverse and is none of my business."

"I mean that even though I don't know what size ring she'd wear, I can see her fingers really clear in my mind so I think I'll be able to get the right one without any hassle. The right ring that is, not the right finger. Not that I'd come here trying to buy a finger. Or that you would ever sell me a finger. Not that I'm saying you'd sell fingers to other people and just not to me. You wouldn't sell fingers to anyone. Sorry. I'm babbling. Nervous. I've never done this before. That is, I've never bought a ring before, not that I've never been nervous or…"

"Please stop," the increasingly weary man said to JT. "Sir, you DO realize that we sell only the finest jewelry. Most young people in your…situation…find it better to shop at a more common facility. I understand there are also good deals to be had at various local pawn shops, though I've never once stepped foot into such an establishment."

"What 'situation' are you talking about?"

"Isn't this friend of yours – to phrase it delicately – with child?"

"Of course not," JT quickly answered, annoyed and no longer feeling so nervous. "Just so you know, not every young couple getting married does it because they're pregnant."

"You're quite right," the salesman responded. "For instance, I'm told that in certain rural areas of the States, some couples get married when they're as young as 14 or 15 years of age. Of course, in most of those cases the two are already siblings to one another."

"And then there are some couples who are in love and know what they want," JT countered. "They believe in the relationship and in each other and are ready to take the step. Anyway, it's none of your business what the reason is."

"My mistake."

"Look, I'm interested in buying a ring. Do you want to help me out or should I take my business elsewhere?"

"My apologies if I offended you. It's merely that we don't often see many young people come in who aren't here because they feel they HAVE to get married. Though I suppose one must expect such happenings when located outside of an upper class neighborhood. Apparently you don't fall under the usual category, so I retract my opinion. I assure you this was nothing personal."

"I understand," JT said coolly. "Don't worry. I'm not going to take my business elsewhere. I figure an uptight snob like you who judges first and asks questions later – if at all – must not have much of a life outside of this building. So you probably know everything there is to know about every ring in the store and can help me out. Oh, and I assure you that this was nothing personal."

The salesman looked flustered. JT, pleased by this, figured that this was probably the first time someone had said anything in return to the judgmental man. He wished Emma had been there, positive that she would have been proud of his mini-rant, and probably wishing she had said it herself. But having with you the person you're buying a ring for would kind of take away from the surprise of the proposal, so he knew it was just as well that she wasn't there.

As for the proposal, JT also had some thoughts about her likely reaction.

'She's definitely going to be surprised. Maybe ask me if I've lost my mind. But then she'll give me that big smile of hers and answer the question. She'll know that I haven't lost my mind. This could be one of the sanest things I've ever done besides falling for her in the first place. I love Emma Nelson. Completely. And I want to marry her.'

JT then started to pay attention to the salesman, but found that he couldn't resist interrupting.

"By the way…You don't happen to have any good discounts right now, do you? Buy one, get one free? Maybe coupons?"

The older man groaned at the very idea, and JT struggled not to laugh.

'I knew that would bug him. But now…time to get serious. On to the ring hunt.'

**Next Chapter –** The Big 50th Chapter

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Thanks to Maibe Josie, citysoundtrack, "# 1 Fan" YellyBelly, chadslover, Angelstargirl, GlamGlitterRockFabulous, YaDoDOBird and Dreamweaver244 for the great reviews and feedback.

Fun to learn about what some of you thought was going to happen in the office scene. Considering Emma's thoughts in this chapter, she probably wouldn't have minded such an…adventure…on the desk. Neither would JT, but I'd say that's a given. After all, even with the more mature JT of this story, you just know he's had his own thoughts of that nature. And since JT having such thoughts seemed more obvious, I wanted to instead show Emma having them in this chapter.

Also glad to know that people enjoy the side stories featuring Sean, Manny and Liberty. Though they didn't appear in this chapter, there will be developments in their relationships in upcoming chapters…without taking away from the main focus of JT and Emma, of course. After all, those two seem to have a lot going on as well. (Trust me, you don't know the half of it.)


	50. Get It While You Can

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Word of warning – this chapter includes some harsher language than usual for this story.

Thanks to Maibe Josie, lifelover, GlamGlitterRockFabulous, YellyBelly, Angelstargirl, newtallelegant and chadslover for the recent – and greatly appreciated – feedback. And since reaching Chapter 50 is a sort of milestone, let me also add a word of thanks to all those who've continued to take the time to read this story. I'm glad it's received such a great response throughout the last year.

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Chapter 50 - Get It While You Can

On a bench in front of Degrassi Community School, four friends ate lunch together. Emma and Manny sat on one side while JT and Toby faced them on the other side.

"So, Em," Manny said, "it's been a couple of weeks. Has having Mr. Simpson living in the house with you and your mom stopped being weird?"

"We've all started getting used to the new arrangement," Emma replied.

"Good thing, since there's a baby on the way," Toby commented.

"The only real tension so far has been between him and my mom."

"Ah, so the honeymoon is over already," JT joked.

"Shut up," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "She just has to keep reminding him of little things. Like if he snags the last cup of coffee, he needs to make another pot rather than automatically assume one of us is going to do it. Or…that whole thing about putting the toilet seat down when he's done. Things like that."

"Since the Nelson women are so liberated," JT offered, "how about some equality? You and your mom can start putting the seat UP when you're done."

"JT, I'd tell you to shut up again, but that's actually the same dumb joke that he made. And trust me, Mom gave him an earful about that. But then they started laughing about it and all was peaceful again."

"I'm sure it takes time to make adjustments when you've been used to doing everything a certain way for so long," Manny said.

"True, but things are a lot smoother than I thought they would be this soon."

"Guess this means JT is never gonna get married," Toby teased.

"And why is that?" JT asked.

"Compromise is not exactly one of your specialties."

"Tobes, I've shared a locker with you long enough to know that maybe YOU shouldn't be the one to talk about other people not compromising."

"And here we go again with the never-ending locker space feud," Manny said.

"Not at all," JT responded. "Besides, what my poor misguided friend Mr. Isaacs doesn't get is that I would never WANT to get married."

"Everyone wants to get married someday," Manny corrected. Her idealized thoughts about romance were ever present.

"Not me, Manny. I'm committed to a life of public service."

"Public service?" Emma asked, almost choking on her drink after hearing his remark. "JT, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I can't picture you as the type who'd care to devote his life to public service."

"That just shows how much you know, Emma. With so many women in the world and only one JT Yorke, I'm devoted to the cause of leaving myself available for everyone. It would be unfair to deprive them all if I had to pick just one person."

JT's friends laughed.

"Well, we know Emma's not like that," Manny then said.

"Oh, we do?" Emma asked.

"Come on Em," Manny responded. "You know you're going to marry Sean some day. Can't you feel the love in the air?"

"Is that what's in the air? I thought that was just the pollution that Emma's always griping about," JT joked.

"Sean and Emma are back together, JT," Toby said, having by now gotten beyond the previous year's crush he had for Emma. "Might as well get used to it and stop complaining."

"I don't complain. I don't think he's this great guy or anything, but it's Emma's mistake and I'm staying out of it."

"JT, if you ever tried to get to know Sean, you'd see for yourself that he's a really nice guy," Emma offered.

"Right, Emma," JT said sarcastically. "No offense, but if reality ever gets so twisted that I can find something nice to say about Sean Cameron, I'll eat my hat."

Emma just shook her head and smiled. She wished her good friend got along with her boyfriend, but she didn't think it was going to happen anytime soon.

"Anyway, back to me," JT continued. "Who needs marriage? I'm going to be an old man – we're talking 40 years old – and living in one of those fancy singles condos. Sitting in a hot tub surrounded by a bunch of 18-year-old girls."

"JT," Toby spoke up, "I thought with your tastes, you'd rather be 18 years old and sitting in a hot tub surrounded by a bunch of 40-year-old women."

"Shut up, Tobes."

"Manny," Emma interjected, noticing that the girl's attention had turned away from the conversation, "quit staring over at Craig. You're being a little too obvious. Again."

"I'm not staring, Em. I'm simply…glancing. Appreciating."

"Come on, Manny," JT pleaded, holding his stomach and giving off a pained expression. "There are people trying to eat around here."

"I wonder what Kendra's doing right now?" Toby questioned.

"Not you too, Toby," JT said. "Am I the only one left who hasn't exchanged my brain for some crazy ideas about romance?"

"Yes!" the other three said loudly and in unison.

"Sad," he kidded them. "You're all sad."

That was several years ago.

Now, on this Wednesday morning, JT sat alone on the ground in a cemetery facing a gravestone. It belonged to Jillian Yorke.

"Looks like the people who run this place are taking good care of things," JT spoke, looking at the stone. "The grass is mowed. No weeds. I knew it would be okay here. After you…after it happened, Dear Old Dad said he had important meetings and couldn't get back to town until the night before the funeral. He said I might as well take care of everything. So Emma helped me pick out this cemetery and this particular area, with all the trees nearby for shade. She thought you'd like this and I agreed with her.

"All this time…I still miss you. But it's gotten easier. That's not an insult. It's just that my life has stayed busy. And it's been really good. I know it's been a long time since I've come out here, Mother. For awhile I didn't want to come out here.

"Anyway, what's new with you? Meeting many interesting people up there? Does God have as good a sense of humor as I think He would? I mean, with all the strange people walking around down here, He's GOT to be good with the sarcasm.

"Look, I don't know how it works up there and whether you have any idea what's going on, but so much has been happening. Emma and I…well, you called it. We're in love. Real love, not kid stuff. You never made it a secret that you thought she was who I should be with. Even before we got together, she was a great friend. She's still a great friend…and a lot more. I have all these good parts of my life, but Emma's the best part. No contest.

"I bought a ring last night. You should have seen the salesman. Rotten guy, but he knows his rings. It's not the biggest ring I saw in the store but it's real nice. Emma doesn't like things that are too flashy. That meant I couldn't pick out anything that weighs a ton or would glow in the dark. I really think she'll like the one I got.

"Now I'm trying to figure out the best way to propose. At first I thought about using my theater sign. Putting up the words 'Marry Me, Emma' in place of the film titles. But maybe I should go with the more romantic approach. On Saturday, we could watch the classics like always, then I'd take her out to eat. Campanelli's. Guess you could say it's our special restaurant. Before dessert, I'd get down on one knee. She'd probably think I've dropped my napkin or something. But right then I'd propose. Who knows? I'm sure there's a way I can use both ideas. I'll figure it all out.

"I just hope she doesn't think it's too soon. Sure, we're 18, but it's not like we both haven't been through a lot already. I'm not going to get in the way of the stuff she wants to do. She's a great writer and I know she's going to do great things. And she's there for me with what I'm doing. I just want to make things official. I love her and I know that she's the only one for me. That won't change in five years or 105 years. And I think…no, I KNOW…that she feels the same way about me.

"I think the big test for us happened after I bought the movie theater. The two of us had some big arguments about the whole situation. But we got everything all worked out. It made us even closer and proved that we can deal with anything.

"We've graduated. I've got my own business. She's about to start working part-time and then attend university in the Fall. I've had to start thinking about where to live. The timing just feels so right. Emma and I are good for each other, Mother. I know this will be a good thing. No. A great thing.

"So…that's my big news. What else can I tell…Yeah. There's always THAT. I guess you know that I finally found out last Fall what your husband – my so-called father – thinks of me.

"It doesn't bug me like it did at first. Truth is, I hardly think about him or the situation at all anymore. Emma was a big help there. Sean too. Yeah, that's right. Sean. I know I never had a good word to say about him all those years. But he worked so hard to make up for things he'd done in the past. I guess you could say we bonded over us both having screwed-up family relationships, and then I figured out he was a nice guy. We started hanging out, and now he's one of my closest friends. Even if I still can't come close to beating him at pool.

"So about my…about your husband…I don't let it get to me anymore. He's not worth it. Sure, I still wish…You should have told me what he thought about me and why. So I wouldn't have had to hear it straight from him last year."

JT sighed.

"I'm not mad at you," he continued. "Who knows? Maybe you were going to tell me some day, and thanks to that gunman at the bank you never got the chance. Or maybe you were never going to say anything. Doesn't really matter now. You loved both of us and maybe you handled things the best way you knew how. Like I said, that's all part of the past and it can stay in the past. I've got so much that's good in my life, and a lot that I'm looking forward to. I just needed to come out here and tell you about all this good stuff.

"And now, my only major problem is how I'm going to be patient enough to wait until Saturday to propose."

JT remained at the grave awhile longer – talking further as well as spending time in silence. Then he left the area and returned to his car. As he started driving, he called Emma on her cell phone. She answered from Ryan's Grille, where she sat with Manny at a table eating breakfast.

"How was it?" Emma asked him while Manny continued eating. "Are you okay?"

"It was fine," he replied. "And I'm fine."

"I still say I should have been with you," she said in a regretful tone. "This was your first time to go out there in over a year. I wanted to be there for you."

"Next time, angel. Promise. This time I had to go alone. I can't explain it right now, but trust me. I had to do it this way."

"Is today going to be very busy?" she asked, knowing it was time to change the subject.

"The usual. I have some meetings set up for later this week, but today it's mostly paperwork and paying bills."

"You'll have fun tonight, though," she assured him. "Don't forget that we're going out for pizza with Manny and Sean."

"I remember," JT said loudly. He was starting to have trouble hearing Emma's voice and thought she might be having the same difficulty. "I'm still picking you up, right?"

"Yeah."

"Sounds good. See you tonight, Emma. Love you."

"What was that?" Emma asked, noise and static making it difficult for her to make out what he said.

"I can't hear you, Emma," JT said. "I think my phone's acting screwy. Probably needs to re-charge."

"JT?"

'Oh well,' JT thought while turning off his phone. 'She's probably figured out the problem by now.'

"Dead," Emma said.

"What?" Manny asked her.

"The signal. I started hearing a lot of static on JT's side. Missed hearing the rest of what he was saying."

"I'm sure it had something to do with him having undying love for you. Either that, or he was explaining how he was going to stop off at some doughnut shop for breakfast on his way to work."

Emma laughed, then finished drinking the remaining coffee in her cup.

"Okay Manny, now repeat what you were saying right before JT called. I want to make sure I heard you right."

"All I said was that this weekend Sean's borrowing his brother's bike and we're going riding for the day."

"Manny Santos, Biker Chick…I don't believe it."

"Very funny, Em. Sean asked if I'd ever been on a motorcycle. I'd never even thought about it before, but he said it would be fun. I'm open to trying something new, so I was all for it. Out on the open road. The wind blowing through my hair…"

"The bugs smashing into your face…" Emma added.

"I'll be sitting behind him holding on, so any bugs will have to go through Sean to get to me. Hey, do you think I can convince him to let me take over the driving at some point?"

"Worth a shot, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I'm glad you two are having so much fun together."

"You know that I wasn't even looking for a relationship this year," Manny commented. "But then Sean and I started spending time together and…We just seemed to click. It's been fun getting to really know each other these last few months. Learning about each other's interests. Trying new things. Spending time together with our friends. I really care about him, Emma."

"I know. I can tell he cares about you too."

"Emma, speaking of our friends…" Manny said, happy but wanting to change the subject before she started blushing, "You never did tell me. How's the apartment search going?"

"JT and I still need to see more places. We're checking out a couple of them tomorrow. So far it's going well. You should see JT. I think managing a business has come in handy here. He's not letting any of those rental people get away with exaggerations or pushing him into getting something he doesn't want."

"Em, you look like you're at least as excited about him moving as he probably is, if not more."

"JT's been asking for my thoughts about each place. That – combined with the fact that we both seem to like and dislike the same places – makes it seem all the more like he's trying to find something that we would both feel at home in. I really like the thought of that. There's also the idea that his current living arrangement is his last tie to his father, so I'll be so glad for JT once that connection is severed for good."

"Understandable," Manny responded. "But there's even more to it. I can tell."

"It's hard to explain," Emma said. "With each apartment we look at, I start feeling more and more like it really ought to be OUR place we're hunting. Not just his. In my mind I can see where furniture would go. I can picture us together in each room. Living. Loving. Everything."

"Everything?"

They were briefly interrupted by a waiter who came over to check on them and to fill up their cups.

"I admit," Emma began once the waiter left, "there's certainly the idea – a very nice idea – that with this new place, we'll finally have a chance to…"

"To 'everything,'" Manny helped the suddenly shy Emma finish her thought, knowing what she meant.

"Right," Emma agreed. "Okay, he and I both agreed last year that we would wait until after we were all finished with high school. And since graduation, I know it's crossed both of our minds more than once. I'll admit I'm looking forward to when…to that first time."

"As well as all the times after that?"

"Yeah," Emma grinned. "You'd be…shocked…at some of the thoughts I've been having on occasion. I'M shocked at some of the thoughts."

"You love him, Emma. And he loves you. Those kind of thoughts are normal. Expected."

"I know. Anyway, having a place where we can be…together…is another reason I'm glad he's looking for an apartment. I mean, the idea of…of making love…in his father's house…well, we'd need to perform some sort of tribal ritual first to get rid of any of Nathaniel Yorke's evil vibes that might still be lurking in the corridors.

"Of course, there's always MY bedroom. But who in their right mind would think that my basement has the proper atmosphere for such an activity?"

Manny grimaced and Emma suddenly remembered walking in on the beginning of such a scene years earlier.

"Oops. No offense, Manny."

"Em, did I ever mention how sorry I am about…"

"About you and Craig trying to turn my bedroom into some sort of Lust Nest?"

"Yeah. That."

"You did," Emma replied. "Don't worry about it. I've tried to put the whole experience out of my mind. Sure, at the time, I considered burning my bed, but since I showed up before things went too far, I was content to just burn the sheets and pillow cases."

"Emma…Tell me you didn't."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Of course I didn't. I'm kidding."

Manny, relieved, couldn't help but laugh.

"Emma, does JT know you have such a wicked sense of humor?"

"Knows it AND loves it. Well…most of the time. Anyway, don't get me wrong, Manny. The feelings I've been having about his move are related to much more than just the physical."

"I understand," Manny responded.

"Because I've also had lots of other moments. Moments that were somewhere in the back of my mind for quite awhile but have been moving forward with all the talk lately about finding JT a home we'd both like. Moments where I imagined he and I…Not just living together. Like roommates. I've said I wouldn't do something like that – even with JT – and I still stand by that idea. But together. Completely.

"The two of us…Facing the highs and the lows. The good and the bad. The exciting times and the ordinary everyday times. From struggling to learn the best ways to balance our work obligations with plenty of 'just us' time, to debating whose turn it is to take care of the laundry. Knowing that he's the first thing I'd see when I woke up and the last thing I'd see before going to sleep."

"Hold on, Em," Manny started smiling. "Are you talking about wanting something…official…between the two of you? Something that would first have to involve a ceremony?"

"I know," Emma said. "You must think I'm really losing it. That I'm not saying the kind of things you'd expect of Emma Nelson."

"Let's see…You've got your university plans set. You know that you want to make a career out of writing. And now you're considering how to make your relationship with the most important person in your life even better. You're trying to find a way to have it all, and that sounds EXACTLY like what I'd expect of Emma Nelson."

"You don't have to say anything, Manny. I know I'm sounding unrealistic and selfish."

"I'm not thinking that at all."

"JT's already made one huge life-altering decision this year in buying TMD. I wouldn't want him to think I was trying to add pressure to his world by asking him to…by proposing another major change. We already know we have a whole lifetime together to look forward to."

"Emma, I think if you're sure about what you want, then…Well, you're the one who once told me that there's nothing wrong with the woman being the one to ask the guy to…"

"Don't mind me," Emma interrupted. "Like I said, it was just a thought. Things happen when they happen for a reason. So for once I'm not going to push or press. I'm going to let nature take its course."

The day progressed normally until that afternoon. Sean was busy working under the hood of a car at the auto repair shop when a co-worker walked over and informed him that he had a visitor waiting at the front desk. Sean left his area, curious who was there to see him since he wasn't expecting anyone. His expression became one of displeasure when he saw that the mystery guest was Jay.

"Cameron, you need to find a better class of people to work with," Jay greeted. "They wouldn't even let me go back to find you. Told me I had to wait right here. Since I'm such a good sport, I agreed. This time."

"Outside," Sean said sternly. He then led Jay out and around to the side of the building. "Okay, Jay. What do you want?"

"Now is that any way to talk to an old friend?"

"You mean EX friend," Sean corrected.

"I was kinda rough on you the other week at that graduation thing," Jay said. "But you used to have a sense of humor. Don't take it all so personally."

"Don't worry, Jay. I didn't. Because nothing you say can get to me anymore."

"Yeah. Okay. Whatever. Listen, I think it's really good that you have this job here. This has to be a great place to work. How much do you take in every week?"

"That's none of your business."

"No, I'm not talking about whatever little money they want to give you," Jay corrected. "I mean how much do you really make? This place must be a gold mine for good parts you could sneak off with and sell to other places for big bucks."

"You know, Jay, every time I think I know how big an idiot you are, you find a way to sound like an even bigger idiot."

"Don't be so greedy, Cameron. Let me in on the action. You can't tell me you've been letting this golden opportunity go to waste. I know you."

"Wrong," Sean countered. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know that you're exactly like me. Only not as honest."

"Honest? Jay, you've never known the meaning of that word. And even if you did, I bet you couldn't spell it."

"I'm honest enough to know I like to have fun and don't mind letting everyone know that I'll do whatever I need to do to make it happen. You were the same way until you decided you should feel all guilty about doing what you want. I feel sorry for you. Now you're trying to be Mr. Perfect with your job and your loser friends."

"Watch it."

"We were best friends," Jay said. "I'm willing to forget all this Saint Sean crap and we can be friends again. We can still have a lot of fun. Just like before."

"Jay, I'm going to tell you this for the last time and then I never want to talk to you about anything anymore. Being friends with you was wrong. Hanging out with you and doing all the stuff I did…none of that should have happened. But it did and I've tried to make up for it. I will never be like I was then ever again.

"I don't want to hear how you feel sorry for me because I'm not acting like…like someone who would ever be friends with you. I don't want to hear about your schemes to have fun by hurting other people. I don't want to hear your opinions of the people I care about and who believe in the real me. And don't you ever come around here again."

"Or what?" Jay challenged, getting right up into Sean's face. "Are you gonna mess up my hearing?"

"I'm not even going to answer that," Sean answered, unfazed.

Jay stepped back and laughed.

"That's what I was afraid of. You really are lame, Cameron. Oh well. Can't say I didn't try to talk some sense into you."

Jay starts to walk away.

"Hey Jay," Sean calls to him.

"Now what? Is my walking not boring enough for you?"

"Just so you know, Jay…If I ever hear a complaint around here that anything's gone missing – whether it's a car, a spark plug or even a pencil – I'll make sure the manager and the police know to look at you as the top suspect. And you know I will. So you really DON'T have a reason to ever come back here."

"Fine," Jay responded, annoyed with the outcome of the conversation. "You win. Have your miserable boring life. You deserve it."

After Jay walked away, Sean took a deep breath and then went back inside and over to his work area. He grabbed his jacket that was lying on a nearby chair and pulled his cell phone from the pocket. He punched in a number and waited a moment.

"Hey Manny," he said once she picked up. "It's me. How's it going? Yeah, I'm good. On a break. I…I was feeling kinda stressed and…wanted to hear your voice."

Sean stood listening to Manny as she began talking on a variety of subjects. As a result, the stress from his encounter with Jay quickly departed and his frown soon changed into a smile.

Early in the evening at the Nelson-Simpson house, Emma walked up from her bedroom to find her mother walking around the living room in circles.

"Uh, Mom? Practicing for that championship round of Duck Duck Goose against Jack and his playmates?"

"Funny," Spike replied. "I know I left my purse in THIS room but I don't see it anywhere. Snake and Jack are already out in the car waiting, and I just know Snake's going to start honking that horn any minute."

On a hunch, Emma walked over to the couch and noticed a purse wedged in between two of the cushions and barely noticeable.

"Is this it?" she asked, pointing down at the couch.

"Now how did it get buried down in there?" Spike asked while retrieving it.

"Jack. He's done it before with my purse, too. He knows we keep money in them, like treasure chests. And so…"

"And so he buries our purses." Spike started to laugh.

"Yeah," Emma confirmed. "Instant buried treasure. Hey, have fun tonight."

"We will. Though Jack has made it quite clear to me that he'd rather go out with you and JT than over to Joey and Caitlin's with us."

"I'll talk to JT later on about us doing something together with Jack again real soon."

"That would be nice," Spike responded. "Jack always has so much fun with the two of you."

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "To Jack, JT's the fun older brother who's willing to play all the games Jack likes, as well as coming up with his own."

Suddenly, they both hear the sound of a car horn.

"Okay, Snake. I'm going to get you for that," Spike said jokingly while heading for the front door.

"Mom?" Emma called to Spike before she left.

"Yeah, Em?" Spike turned away from the door and once again faced her daughter.

"It's not unrealistic to try to have it all. Right?"

"Of course it's not unrealistic," Spike answered without hesitation. "Sure, you have to factor in room for plenty of disappointments and struggles. But if you're honest with yourself about what it is that you truly want, and you're willing to put in the effort…anything's possible. Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"

"No," Emma assured her mother. "Just the opposite. Everything's going great. I was just curious about your opinion. Thanks."

"Anytime, Emma. You and JT have a good time tonight. Right now I have to go instruct my husband on exactly what he can do with his horn."

"Now THERE'S an image I don't need in my head," Emma kidded. "Bye Mom."

Meanwhile, JT sat in his office at TMD. His plan was to finish reading one last document before leaving to pick up Emma. Instead, he had the ring box open on his desk beside the picture of Emma. He looked at the ring, then he looked at the picture, and then he looked at both the ring and the picture at the same time.

'How in the world am I going to make it to Saturday?' he thought. 'I know. Because I have two ways I could propose and right now neither one is ready. That's how I'm going to make it. I need these next couple of days to make sure everything is just right.'

Just then, Spinner walked into the room. Startled, JT hurriedly closed the small box and put it in the top drawer of his desk, where he kept such office supplies as pens, pencils and paper clips.

"Spin, I think we ought to start working on your next big project around here – learning how to knock."

"The door was open," Spinner responded. "You don't knock on an already open door. And anyway, you said you wanted to see me before you left."

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. It's about how things should go tonight. I know I ought to have someone specific who's in charge when I'm not here, but I'm almost always here during the day when all the major decisions have to get made. And at night everyone here knows what they have to do, so it's not really a priority. Pat and Amanda are the ones who usually try to keep an eye on things when I'm not here. You know Pat has the night off. Amanda's here, but she's got a meal break later on. So if anything comes up while she's gone, or if there are any phone calls, I want you to take care of it. Are you okay with that?"

"Dude, don't worry. I talk to customers all the time, and I DO know how to use a phone."

"I'm sure most of the calls will be people asking what's playing or what time they're playing. But if it's anything else, just take a message."

"No problem."

"Just keep everything simple," JT cautioned Spinner. "Nothing fancy. I have this feeling that if you got creative, the lawyers would end up getting involved."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, JT."

"And do whatever you need to do – bite down on a pencil, bang your head against a wall, whatever – but don't use the word 'dude' when you're talking to anyone on the phone."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Spinner claimed.

"Uh-huh."

"By the way, what are you hiding in your desk?"

"Hiding?" JT replied. "I'm not hiding anything."

"When I came in you were moving like lightning trying to get something put away before I could see it."

"Okay, Spin. You caught me. I've got these nude photos of you and I just can't stop looking at them."

"JT, that's sick…" Spinner rolled his eyes.

"And if it weren't for all those pesky sexual harassment laws, I'd be chasing you around the desk right now."

"You think you're so funny, but I'm not going to laugh," Spinner responded, even though it was indeed taking an effort for him not to laugh.

"I'm sure you want to laugh. Close enough."

"So what's really in the desk?" Spinner tried asking again.

"Nothing you need to worry about. And I'm taking it home with me so you don't have to bother going through my desk looking around when I leave."

"Spoiling all my fun as usual," Spinner said.

"That's one of the perks of being in charge," JT smirked.

"Since I'm not going to get anything out of you, I might as well get back out there."

"Before you do, go ahead and take this time right before the next wave of customers comes in, get whatever sacks of trash are ready to go, and take them out back to the dumpster."

"Will do. And don't worry about tonight, JT. I'm not going to mess up."

"Hey, needless worrying is also something that comes with being in charge."

Spinner left the office. As he went to take the trash out, he didn't notice that someone standing near the restrooms was watching him walk out the back door. Once Spinner was gone, this person walked toward JT's office.

JT knew he only had about a minute before he needed to leave so he was quickly reading over the document that was still in front of him on his desk. Out of the corner of his eye, JT noticed someone standing at his door. He picked up a pen as though he was about to start writing. The person entered the room and shut the door behind him, but JT didn't react.

"Thought that moron would never leave," the uninvited guest, Jay Hogart, said. "Why would anyone want him around? Just as well I couldn't hear what the two of you were saying. I'm sure it wasn't interesting."

Jay noticed with some disappointment that so far JT wasn't acknowledging him.

"So…this is what the nice folks do all day," Jay continued. "Sit around looking at papers and being all serious. Good thing I never cared about being nice. I think I'd die of boredom."

Jay grew annoyed that JT wasn't looking up at him or responding to him. JT simply continued to look down at what he was supposed to be reading.

"Maybe Cameron wised up and turned on you, Yorke. Are you deaf or something? Everyone should pay attention when I walk into a room…and start worrying about what I could do."

JT put down the pen and finally looked up at Jay.

"That's more like it." Jay said.

"Sorry about that, Jay," JT spoke in a cheerful tone. "It's just that when you came in, I remembered I was going to create a new sign. You know there's that sign near the front door of the building that says 'No shirt, no shoes, no service.' Well, I've been meaning to put up another sign right next to it saying 'If you're a thief, too dumb for words or both, you're not welcome.' I know you fall into the 'both' category, so you really shouldn't be here. But since the sign isn't up yet, I won't hold you to it this time."

"You need to stop thinking you can talk to me like that, loser," Jay said in his most threatening tone.

"And you need to stop thinking you can scare anyone over the age of 2," JT responded calmly. "Give it up with all the tough talk. You're the joke of the neighborhood, Jay, and that's no secret."

"Is that the kind of crap you told Sean that made him into a wimp who turned on his only real friend?"

"You give me way too much credit," JT answered. "It was a long time after Sean's sanity came back before I gave him a chance to show me how he'd gotten away from you and your kind of fun. The good choices he started making were all his idea.

"As for real friends, that's what he's got now. Hanging around you wasn't about friendship, Jay. Just a bad habit he was finally able to kick. And even in his worst moments, he was a better person than the mess I'm looking at right now will ever be. Now…Still want me to notice you, or are you ready to leave?"

Jay, looking very annoyed, ran his arm across the desk knocking everything to the ground. This was the first time that JT had ever started to feel nervous around Jay, but he wasn't going to let it show. He refused to give off the kind of reaction Jay thrived on. Instead, JT stood up and casually walked around to the front of his desk and faced the unwanted visitor.

"Very dramatic, Jay. Almost enough to give me chills. Okay, not really. But now I'm confused."

"What now?" Jay grew discouraged that he still didn't seem to be intimidating – or even angering – JT.

"Does that mess you caused count as littering or vandalism?" JT asked, trying to sound lighthearted. "You're more of an expert about criminal behavior than me, so I just want to know exactly what complaint to make with the police."

"I want you begging me not to bother you or your pathetic buddy Cameron. Crawling would be a nice touch. But you better quit it with not taking me serious!"

"I'm doing my best, Jay. Honest. But you just make it so gosh-darn hard to quit. Even at the post office, your picture isn't up on the board with the ones of other criminals still walking the streets. The only time they post your picture is when they want something to hang on a dartboard. Now, about what I should tell the police…"

"You are NOT calling the cops."

"Well, you're right about that," JT confirmed in a less-than-serious tone. "Not if my phone is broken after the way it sailed across the room a moment ago. I'm just not having a good day with phones. Have you ever had one of those days where…"

"Shut up talking to me like I'm one of those idiots that cares about your jokes! You WILL take me serious. And you're never gonna laugh at me or get anyone else to laugh at me ever again."

Jay then looked down and noticed that the picture of Emma had landed near his feet. Seeing it gave him an idea.

"Here's a thought, Yorke. Maybe Cameron's not a total loser now after all. Maybe he only puts up with a dork like you because it gives him an excuse to hang around the blonde again. Maybe they're both friendly with you to your face, but they're doing it when you're not around. Then laughing about you."

"You're just trying to get to me, Jay. In your usual ridiculous way. Not going to happen."

Jay picked up Emma's picture and held it. JT didn't like this but was determined not to give Jay a reaction.

"Or maybe you and Cameron share her," Jay said, smirking. "That's one time I couldn't blame either one of you. I mean, she didn't look like much the first time I laid eyes on her. But I've seen her walking through the neighborhood. For a loud, tree-hugging bitch, she looks like a nice piece of ass."

Needless to say, that was the final straw.

JT, incensed by that last comment, suddenly – and with all the strength he could muster – pushed Jay. The push was hard enough that Jay stumbled backwards. Jay, surprised by JT's sudden show of force, dropped the picture as he landed hard – though still standing – into the filing cabinet sitting against the wall beside the closed office door. Looking furious, Jay retaliated, charging forward at JT and pushing him backward against the desk.

While JT struggled to maintain his balance and his footing, he didn't notice Jay pulling a switchblade from his pocket. Before JT knew what was happening, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his stomach. Then he felt it again as Jay stabbed him a second time. Now having even more difficulty standing, he easily dropped to the ground when Jay pushed him over with one hand while putting the blade away with the other hand.

Not genuinely angry, Jay was actually delighted that he'd finally gotten a reaction from someone he considered a nuisance. A reaction that wasn't laughter and ridicule. Jay also realized that things must have gotten busy outside the office since nobody had yet come in to see about the noise. Not that Jay genuinely cared that much whether anybody heard the scuffle or not. After all, he considered himself an honest man. He felt a sense of pride in this moment.

"See?" Jay, a smile now on his face, asked as he looked down at JT. "I knew I'd get you to start taking me serious. I don't hear you making jokes NOW. You did this to yourself, coming at me like you did. I thought I'd just get you scared. Or maybe a little pissed off. I should be upset that you got mad enough to try pushing me around. But at least it gave me a chance to have some fun. Can't believe Cameron hates this kind of thing. His loss. More fun for me. And I haven't had this much fun in a long time."

Jay stood still for a moment, considering whether there could possibly be anything of value in the office worth taking. Not seeing anything of obvious worth out in the open, he decided not to bother searching through the file cabinet or desk. Besides, he felt he had already achieved his good fortune for the evening.

Before turning to leave, Jay looked over at JT one last time. JT was down on the ground with one hand on his stomach. He wanted to get to the phone, except he wasn't sure where it had landed after Jay had knocked everything off the desk. Additionally, he was losing the strength to move around while also beginning to lose blood. And finally, a part of him was now afraid to do or say anything while Jay remained in the room.

"But I'm interrupting," Jay said as he walked toward the door, phony politeness filling his voice. "I'll leave you alone so you can go back to doing whatever it is you do around here. That is, if you still can."

**Next Chapter -** Coming soon!


	51. Finders

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

****

Chapter 51 - Finders

Jay left JT's office and shut the door behind him. He then casually left the theater through the front without incident. After another minute, Spinner returned from taking out the trash, coming in via the same back way that he'd used to leave a short while earlier. He stopped walking once he noticed that JT's door was now closed.

"Very funny, JT," he said as he approached the door. "Is this part of that whole door knocking lesson? Seeing if I remember what you tell me?"

He didn't receive any response but thought JT was inside pretending to ignore him.

"Okay," Spinner continued. "Just this once, I'll play along."

He then knocked on the door.

"So, can I come in now or what?"

Once more, he received no response from inside. He knocked again with the same result.

"You're trying to mess with my head, not saying anything. Won't work, JT. There is nothing going on inside my head."

Spinner then realized what he just said.

"Uh…Wait, that didn't come out right."

He still didn't hear anything.

"What? No comeback joke? You know, I think you're just trying to make me look crazy, standing out here talking to a door that doesn't talk back. So I'm coming in."

Spinner grabbed the doorknob and started turning it.

"But at least I tried knocking first this time. Before, you were hiding something in your desk. This time it's all quiet. What's going on in…"

He stopped speaking after opening the door. He saw papers scattered and a stapler on the floor near the desk. Then he noticed the picture of Emma on the ground near the filing cabinet. He didn't, however, see JT.

"What happened in here?" Spinner questioned.

He walked inside the office. He saw that, ahead and to his left, JT's nameplate had landed on the floor near the side of the desk. Beside the nameplate was something red marking the carpet. Spinner walked over to it. He then bent down and touched it.

Blood.

Following the slight blood trail, he walked back behind the desk. There he found JT, sitting on the floor with his back against the desk. JT kept his right hand pressed against his wounds with what strength he still had in an effort to stop the bleeding. Spinner now stood over him, wondering what had happened in the short amount of time after he left the office.

"What…I mean, who…I mean…How did this happen?"

He knelt down, hoping JT would be able to tell him something. JT, however, had trouble focusing and appeared to be growing disoriented. He also didn't say a word.

"Phone!" Spinner suddenly exclaimed. "That's what I need."

He stood up, confused but determined, and started surveying the room.

"What happened to the damn phone?"

After a moment he finally saw it in the corner.

"Hang on!" he said to JT as he scrambled to retrieve the phone. "I'm getting help."

Around this same time, Sean and Manny were sitting together on the couch at his place.

"I still can't believe he had the nerve to show up right there at the shop hoping the two of you could some day team up again and rob the place," Manny commented.

"He was thinking of it as him rescuing me from a life of honest living," Sean explained. "But I think it's more like Jay misses not having an audience to watch him do the rotten things he likes to do. Even if it's just an audience of me. Hard to brag about himself if no one's around to listen. I've told you how he likes to find me every once in awhile."

"And try to guilt you into remembering the not-so-good old days," she added.

"Yeah. It's been a couple of years and he STILL thinks I'm just going through a phase and he can snap me out of it."

"Maybe this time he got the message," Manny offered.

"Maybe. Stranger things have happened. Anyway, talking to you on the phone this afternoon after he left…no more stress."

"I'm glad you know you can call me whenever there's something wrong."

"Yeah. Talking to you after something like that is much better than punching one of the walls at the garage."

"You and your flattery," she teased.

Manny then looked at her watch and gave Sean a nod signaling that it was about time for them to leave. They stood up and walked out to his car in the driveway.

"We'd better hurry," Sean said. "If they get there before we do, JT might try to order for all of us and who knows what we'll end up with."

"Not to worry, Sean. With Emma there to keep an eye on him, he won't have a chance to whisper a request to the waiter about adding anchovies to the pizza."

"You're right. Maybe we should stop on the way and get Emma a thank-you card," he joked.

"How about a sympathy card instead?" a voice said, startling the couple.

They turned to see Jay walking up the driveway toward them.

Back at TMD, Spinner waited anxiously for the ambulance to arrive. Struggling to think of what he should do, he hurried out of JT's office and ran down the hall and back to the main entry area of the theater. He scanned the area, not really sure what to look for.

Then he had an idea. He rushed over to the front door where the ticket taker, Stephanie, stood. The 17-year-old girl had been with the theater since the previous summer, working weekends and during school vacations.

"Are you just letting anybody in here tonight?" Spinner asked sharply.

"I know you've only been here a few weeks," she responded, "but there are these things we sell over at that front window called tickets. Anybody who buys one can come right in."

"That's not an answer," he said, having no patience. "How many people are getting in here WITHOUT tickets?"

"You know the boss has people coming in and out of here all the time. People he's got meetings with. Friends showing up from time to time. And of course his girlfriend."

"Anyone in the last ten minutes or so?"

"Why?" she asked, growing curious.

"It's important!"

"Since when are you so tense?" she questioned, becoming concerned about his unusual behavior. "Yeah, there was this one guy."

"Who was it?" Spinner demanded.

"I don't know. He said he had business with JT. He sure didn't look like your normal businessman. But our boss isn't your typical businessman either, so who am I to say?"

"And you just let him in? You didn't have him wait around while you checked it out with JT?"

"I never do. JT's said in the past to just send them on back to his office. Most of the time, that is. Sometimes if he's expecting someone, he's already out here waiting when that person shows up. He keeps it all pretty informal around here."

"I know." Spinner then took a deep breath. "Okay, did you see that person take off or do you think he's still around here?"

"I think I saw him leave. But I was directing a customer, so…"

"Okay," he said, looking at his watch and trying to decide what to do next.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Tell the guys in the booth not to sell any more tickets."

"Are you kidding?"

"And get ready to let the paramedics in. They're gonna be here soon. Send them back to JT's office."

"Paramedics? What…?"

Spinner didn't answer as he was already headed back toward the office. From behind the refreshment counter, though, Amanda – who had just finished helping the last customer in line – was watching and called to him.

"Gavin, what are you doing?"

"When I figure it out, I'll let you know. But for right now close up your register."

"Okay…First, you don't give me orders. And second, even if you did, why would I do such a thing?"

"We've got trouble. Look, just do it!"

Spinner, not waiting for a response, rushed back to the office.

"Everything's going to be okay," he told JT upon entering the room, though his tone of voice sounded more panicky than reassuring.

Meanwhile in Sean's driveway, Sean and Manny each had a look of annoyance upon seeing this unexpected visitor, while Jay's expression was one of satisfaction and accomplishment – at least by his standards.

"Guess you two were too busy talking to hear me pull up to the curb out front," Jay said.

"Jay, I know you're not too bright," Sean greeted, "but I never knew you had rocks for brains. Didn't you get any of what I was telling you this afternoon?"

"I heard you. Loud and clear. You got the life you think you want. I got mine. But I just couldn't wait to come by. I wanted to say goodbye."

"Oh?" Sean asked. "You mean you're leaving town? And we didn't even have to get Emma to work up a petition to make it happen?"

"Again with the sarcasm…You HAVE been hanging around Yorke too much. As for leaving town? Well, this neighborhood HAS gotten real dull. At least before tonight. But no, I'm not going anywhere. I've just decided you're a lost cause, Cameron. A waste of my time. I wanted to let you know that I'm at a whole new level now. You can't even hope to reach where I'm at."

"Jay, are you on something?"

"You know damn well I never got mixed up with drugs. They'd make it harder to take care of business. Now what happened tonight…Well, it was self-defense. I get pushed, I push back. And then some. But it made for a better high than any drug. And anyway, why would I leave town when business has been going so good?"

"You mean the business of selling stolen goods?" Manny asked sarcastically.

"Was anybody talking to you, babe?" Jay sneered.

"Jay, watch what you say to Manny," Sean warned.

"It's fine, Sean," Manny said in an effort to keep him calm. "You don't need to bother with him. He's not worth your efforts."

"Well Cameron, it looks like you've got all kinds of people in your cheering section."

"What are you talking about now?" Sean asked.

"She's not the first one to speak up for you tonight," Jay explained, smiling at the thought of what just happened at the theater. "That loser pal of yours with all the jokes that aren't funny…when he wasn't trying to disrespect me, he was going on and on about what a good person you are. Seems he's got a lot of respect for you, which means he's the real idiot around here."

"Could you try making sense, Jay? Just this once?"

"But it was hearing me talk about the blonde that really set him off. I never knew the little dork had it in him. Almost impressed me. But I still had to teach him a lesson about respect. Joke of the neighborhood, my ass."

"You taught him a lesson?" Manny asked. "What does that mean?"

"Self-defense, just like I said. But it worked out great. Someday maybe you'll even thank me, Cameron. You'll remember the kind of life that works best for you. That I was right all the time and people like him don't want you to be true to yourself. Don't get me wrong. I did it for me, not for you. But you'll be glad I did it."

"Did what?" Sean asked, tired of Jay and this non-specific conversation.

Jay smiled and placed his left hand on his forehead.

"Found me a real good cure for a stabbing headache," Jay answered. "Or should I say 'a good stabbing cure for a real headache?'"

Manny grew nervous as she tried to piece together what Jay was talking about. Sean, however, wasn't buying any of it.

"You're so full of it," Sean told Jay. "I don't think even YOU know what you're talking about."

Jay put his hand back down and laughed.

"Yeah, Cameron. Maybe you're right. Well, I guess this is goodbye."

Jay extended his hand, expecting a handshake, but Sean just stood there staring at him. Jay finally put his arm down.

"Seems like nobody knows how to show proper respect anymore," Jay joked. "What's this world coming to?"

Jay started walking away. Sean remained silent, so Manny finally spoke up.

"Any idea what all that was about?"

"Just Jay being Jay," Sean replied. "He's not only a thief, he's a wannabe badass who likes to think he can put a scare into people, or at least get people to take him seriously. Even people like you and me who know better."

"And all that stuff about dealing with JT?"

"Sounds like he dreamed up some fantasy in his head. One where he convinces JT not to make fun of him. And when JT doesn't think Jay's a joke anymore, that somehow makes me see the light and I decide to team up with Jay again. Look, I let him stress me out this afternoon. He's not doing that to me a second time. The four of us are going to have a fun night. Best thing for us to do is just ignore Jay."

"I don't know, Sean," Manny said, feeling an increased level of concern and uncertainty. "There was something…maybe the tone in his voice…it sounded like he was bragging to us AND warning us. And what did he mean about sympathy cards? I just think there's more going on than we know."

"Which is exactly what Jay is counting on," Sean countered. "If he makes stuff up then gets us all worked up about it, we've just made his night."

"Sean, we're going to pass the movie theater on our way to the pizza place anyway. Maybe JT hasn't left yet. Maybe he knows something about all this. Humor me?"

"Okay, Manny. For you. We'll stop at TMD."

"Thanks."

"But when we finally get to the restaurant," Sean added, "and JT and Emma have been sitting around waiting the whole time, YOU get to do all the explaining."

"Deal."

The couple got into Sean's car and left the house. It didn't take long for them to get within a block of TMD. As Sean drove closer, the pair could see lights flashing. Once they had a clear view of the theater, they saw both an ambulance and a police car in front of the building. They then looked at one another.

Sean quickly parked the car in the lot and the pair hurried up to the door. They were about to enter when an officer stopped them.

"We're good friends of the owner," Manny explained.

"Sorry," the officer responded. "You can't go in there just now."

"What's happening?" Sean asked.

Before the officer could reply, the front doors opened. Sean and Manny were shocked to witness paramedics bringing JT out of the building on a stretcher.

"Dear God," Manny said, distressed upon seeing JT being carried past her.

"Manny…" Sean started speaking, but then found he didn't know what to say.

Spinner was next to come outside and was surprised to find Sean and Manny present.

"What happened in there?" Manny asked.

"JT…He…Stabbed," Spinner answered with difficulty, still having trouble believing what had happened. "Twice. He's alive, but really out of it. I found him in the office. Just a little while ago. Some guy did it. I don't know who. An officer's talking to people inside to find out if they know anything."

"It was Jay," Sean said, his eyes focused on the paramedics preparing to place JT into the back of the ambulance. "It had to be. He did this. Nobody else."

"Looks like I'm going to need to ask you both some questions regarding this assault," the officer told Sean and Manny.

Several minutes later, Emma was sitting in her kitchen drinking a bottle of water. She put the bottle down and checked her watch. She then heard a rustling noise outside.

The noise soon stopped, but moments later she heard it again. This time it didn't stop and it grew slightly louder, as though the source was moving closer toward the house. She wondered if perhaps JT was coming around to the kitchen door to knock. After moments of waiting, the sounds continued but there was no knock on the door. Curious, she stood up and walked over to the door.

After opening it, she found nobody outside. Then she looked over to her left and laughed when she saw that the cause of the noise was a pair of squirrels chasing one another up close to the house.

Closing the door, she considered calling the theater but decided against it. She was about to sit back down at the kitchen table when she heard the sound of a car stopping out front. She walked into the living room and grabbed her purse off the couch. Moments later there was a rapid series of knocks at the door.

"It's about time you got here, JT," Emma said loud enough to be heard outside, pretending to sound annoyed as she walked toward the front door. "I'm tempted to punish you. Maybe not let you have your first slice of pizza until after you've eaten a big healthy salad."

Emma opened the door and was surprised to find Manny standing outside.

"Manny! Hey! I thought it was going to be JT. This is one of those rare nights when he's running late getting away from work. I'm sure he's on his way. He'd probably call but he was having that problem with his cell this morning. Come on in."

Manny entered the house, searching her mind for the best way to break the news about what happened.

"I thought it was him a minute ago too," Emma continued. "There was some noise outside the kitchen."

"Noise?"

Manny grew alarmed at the possibility that Jay might have considered coming over to brag to Emma about what he'd done.

"Turns out it was a couple of squirrels at play," Emma explained. "Though I'm sure if JT had seen them, he'd say it was foreplay. Then he'd probably ask me whether squirrels multiplied as fast as rabbits but just didn't get the same amount of hype. His mind works in odd ways like that. But I love him for it."

Manny was relieved that the noise wasn't Jay, but also knew that she couldn't wait any longer.

"Emma…"

"Hey," Emma interrupted, "that was Sean's car out front. Why didn't he come in with you? And why are the two of you even here? We were supposed to meet up at the restaurant. Not that it really matters."

"Sean's not with me. He gave me his keys and I drove over here."

"I'm impressed, Manny," Emma said with pride. "Maybe you won't have as much work as we thought convincing him to let you drive the motorcycle for awhile this weekend. But where's he at?"

"Em, is your mom around? Or Mr. Simpson?" Manny felt it would be good to have them in the room at a time like this.

"No, just me. Everyone else has already left for the evening."

Emma finally noticed the troubled look on Manny's face.

"Is something wrong?" Emma asked.

"Emma, everything is going to be all right. I know it."

"What's going to be all right?" Emma asked, growing concerned.

"It's JT," Manny answered gently. "He's been hurt."

Emma studied Manny's face, looking for some sign that her friend was exaggerating. That there was something going on, but nothing nearly as serious as what Manny was indicating. But in her heart, she already knew that this was not an exaggerated moment.

"Hurt?" Emma finally asked, her voice barely able to utter the word. "Where is JT now?"

"In an ambulance on the way to the hospital. If he's not already there by now."

"An…an ambulance?"

With her right hand, Emma slowly grabbed hold of the heart on her necklace. This jewelry was one of the gifts JT presented her last Christmas and she cherished it, putting it on every day.

"Emma, maybe you should sit down."

"No," Emma said firmly. "I'm fine. What happened?"

"Spinner found JT in his office a little while ago. Emma…JT had been stabbed."

Emma's eyes widened and her breathing started to increase.

"No," Emma quietly protested. "That's not right. This is Spinner we're talking about. I don't know how, but he must have made a mistake interpreting what he saw. Someone would have heard something or seen something. Nothing like that could have happened."

"Spinner had been out back doing something for JT. Everyone else was busy working inside. If there was any noise coming from the office, none of them was able to hear it."

"But…but you also said everything's going to be all right. So that means JT isn't…he's not…" Emma couldn't bear the thought of even finishing the sentence.

"I saw him, Emma. He's still alive."

"Okay. That…that's the main thing. But how did YOU…?"

"We're pretty sure it was Jay," Manny explained. "He came around to Sean's right when we were about to leave for the restaurant. He was saying a lot of things. Bragging. Talking but not really saying anything too specific. But still…something seemed off. Then Sean and I saw the ambulance and squad car out in front of the theater."

Emma's breathing again grew faster and louder.

"I know this is bad, Em. But stay steady. You don't want to start hyperventilating. We need to get to the hospital."

"Is anyone with him?" Emma asked.

"Sean is."

"Because JT shouldn't be alone right now."

"He's not, Em. I promise. I saw the look in Sean's eyes. Angry, but protective. I know there must have been at least a small part of him that wanted to go after Jay and do God knows what. But there was another, much bigger part of him that wanted to stay and keep watch over his friend.

"Sean gave the police some addresses for places where they might find Jay, so they agreed they could talk to him more later on at the hospital. Not that Sean was really giving them much chance to say otherwise. He was able to ride along in the back of the ambulance. I stayed and told the officer what I knew and then came right here."

"Good," Emma responded. Feeling some small relief now that she knew JT wasn't alone, her breathing started slowing down to a more normal rate.

"Let's go," Manny said.

Emma finally released the necklace's heart from her grasp and started looking through her purse. She moved things around quickly, panic again showing in her eyes.

"Where are my keys? Why can't I ever find anything in this purse when I need it?"

She soon felt them.

"Finally. Okay, I'll follow you, Manny."

Emma's hand, however, trembled. She couldn't keep a grip on the keys as she pulled them from her purse and the keychain dropped to the floor.

"Not a chance," Manny told her while reaching down and picking up the keys. "I'll lock the door and then these keys are going back in your purse. You're riding with me."

"I just need to get to him," Emma said softly.

Manny wrapped her arms around Emma and hugged her.

"I know, Em," Manny said, hoping she could be of some comfort to her friend. "I know. We'll get there soon and then I'm sure everything's going to be all right. You'll see."

* * *

**Comments:**

Not having any first-hand experience with such an injury, I did some reading. Reactions seem to vary. Some people are able to speak normally and even walk to get help. Others have greater difficulty getting around and communicating. So JT's behavior in this chapter is merely his own particular reaction and not meant to be seen as the only way a person could respond.

And now, some personal responses to my wonderful reviewers:

Maibe Josie – Regarding Jay, I used Ch. 46 to introduce his willingness to get violent. It was this behavior that served as the final straw in getting Sean to sever ties with him. Jay was only seen a few times in the series up through TCM, but even if this story included episodes beyond that as canon, I could see Jay acting violently if he thought he had a good – or at least interesting – reason to. As always, I appreciate your comments, and I'm especially happy to know you like my writing for JT. I enjoy writing all the characters I've included so far, but for me JT is the most fun to work with.

doowap123 – It's always great to hear from a new reader. I'm glad to hear that you, too, like my take on JT as well as the banter between him and Emma.

YellyBelly – Even though the chapter didn't include a proposal, I'm glad you enjoyed it anyway…and that you were appropriately shocked by the ending. Thanks for the congratulations and for continuing to review each new chapter.

chadslover – Don't worry. I haven't stopped yet.

Angelstargirl – Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the chapter.

luvdegrassi12345 – Thanks for mentioning the flashback. It was fun to write a scene featuring the foursome and the contrast between past and present.

spider-man-fan – Understandable reaction. Thanks for the review.

GlamGlitterRockFabulous – Glad you liked the final scene, as well as JT's joking around with Spinner. Thanks for the congrats…and the "glass".

purplewinx – Glad you're enjoying the story and the pairing. Thanks for the advice. Dialogue is my strength, but I've continually tried to add in more descriptive, non-dialogue elements. Hopefully that's been a noticeable progression over the course of the story.

ValPal4 – Thanks for the comments. Glad you like the pairings in this story.


	52. The Three W's

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Thanks to Maibe Josie, GlamGlitterRockFabulous, chadslover, YellyBelly, BohoChick and spider-man-fan for the interesting and encouraging comments.

****

Chapter 52 - The Three W's

__

"Now children, I know this is a big day. The first day of kindergarten can be scary, but it can be really fun, too. Before the end of the year I think we're all going to become very good friends. To help us do that, this morning I'm going to put you all into groups of four. You'll each have others to work closely with and make friends with right from the start."

"Emma?" Manny looked over at her friend while pulling into Memorial Hospital's parking lot. Emma didn't respond, as she was deep in thought.

__

"And lastly, since we have 19 kids in this class, one group will have to have only three people. So I'd like for Emma, Manuela and James to…James, we don't put crayons up our noses here. Emma, please don't laugh. It's best that we not encourage such behavior. Now as I was saying, the three of you will be a group. All right, everyone will break into their groups soon and have a chance to meet and get to know each other. But first, I'd like to talk about…"

"Emma," Manny repeated while parking the car.

This time Manny's voice broke through and Emma turned her head toward her friend.

"Did you say something?" Emma asked.

"We're here."

Emma looked out her side window.

"I didn't even realize. Sorry."

"You looked like you were a million miles away," Manny said gently.

"I was just thinking about the first time I ever saw JT. Actually it was the first time for all three of us to meet. Remember that day? It was in Ms. Hendricks' class."

Manny smiled.

"I remember."

"Now I'm probably embellishing the memory," Emma noted. "At least as far as what exactly the teacher was saying. But I definitely remember that she was the one who first put the three of us together. And I remember how JT made me laugh. Before we'd even said Hello for the first time, he made me laugh."

Emma then opened her door and got out of the car. Manny followed suit and was about to start walking when she noticed that Emma remained standing beside the vehicle.

"And ever since that first morning," Emma continued, "I don't think there's been even 10 full days where JT and I didn't see each other. Talk to each other. Even if in some cases it was only for a few minutes."

Emma could feel tears start to well up in her eyes. Tears Emma had been struggling to suppress in the time since Manny broke the news about the assault. Tears which she was determined to contain.

"Manny, I've known JT…cared about him in one way or another…almost my entire life. I…I…"

Manny saw the growing look of despair on Emma's face and knew she needed to say something to try to lift Emma's spirits.

"And you've still got a good 60 or 70 more years to go, Em. At least that much. Probably more. This is just one very bad night."

Emma gave a slight smile in response.

"I know that you're right," Emma offered. "I've got to stay optimistic."

"Exactly," Manny agreed.

Emma then wiped away the growing tears, not giving them a chance to descend from her eyes.

"Hey, for all we know, the doctors are already done and JT's in there joking around with the nurses even as we speak. Don't you think so, Manny?"

"It's…possible," Manny answered, though she knew this was being too optimistic. "But right now the main thing is for you to hang on to that positive attitude."

"I'm going to be strong," Emma stated, trying to sound firm even though her tone betrayed a continued feeling of panic. "Whatever I need to do, I'm going to help him."

Determined, Emma walked quickly toward the emergency room entrance with Manny hurrying to keep up. As they got closer, the automatic doors opened and the two walked on in. Emma wasted no time as she walked right up to the front desk.

"Excuse me," Emma spoke to the woman standing behind the desk staring at a computer screen. "I'm looking for JT Yorke. I believe he was brought in within the last few minutes."

The woman proceeded to search the most recent papers lying on her desk.

"Yes, the multiple stab wounds case."

"JT's not a case, he's a person," Emma brusquely corrected.

"Em, I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it," Manny said. She wanted to keep Emma out of an argumentative situation, though she was also somewhat glad to see Emma had retained some of her fighting spirit in this difficult time.

"How is he?" Emma asked.

"Are you a relative?" the woman questioned.

"JT doesn't really have…What I mean to say is…You see…He's mine."

"It's all right," the woman said. "The doctors are currently treating Mr. Yorke. It may take awhile."

"I'd like to see him."

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible right now. Why don't you have a seat in the waiting area? We'll let you know as soon as there's any news."

"Thank you," Emma responded, disappointed.

She then turned to Manny.

"I just wanted JT to know that I'm here," Emma explained, almost pleading. "I wasn't going to get in anybody's way."

"I know," Manny said. "I'm sure they'll be done soon. You'll be with JT in no time."

Emma noticed that there was a waiting room off to their left. She pointed it out to Manny and the two walked in that direction. When they approached the door, however, they could see Sean standing inside speaking to a uniformed officer.

"We can come back later," Manny said to the man after she and Emma were spotted.

"That's all right," the officer told her. "We were about done here."

He then turned back toward Sean.

"Thanks for your help, Mr. Cameron."

"No problem," Sean said.

"I'll be in touch."

The officer then left, after which Emma and Manny entered the room.

"How's JT?" Emma immediately asked Sean. "That woman out front didn't have anything to tell me. But you were with him. Tell me what's been going on."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Emma," Sean answered. "That ambulance ride scared the hell out of me."

"Sean, tell me everything."

"JT was laying there," Sean recalled. "They were worried about him losing all that blood. He was in and out the whole time."

"You mean he…he…stopped breathing?"

"No," Sean quickly replied, not wanting to send Emma into further distress. "If that had happened, I'm sure they'd have done something more about it. But he was awake for awhile then he'd lose consciousness. It was back and forth like that all the way here. I tried talking to him, trying to get him to stay awake. I don't know if he even heard me. He looked at me, but he seemed really out of it. Like he wasn't really seeing me. Look, I can't really say what it was, just what it looked like."

"I know. I'm just so glad you were there with him, Sean."

"You know he's going to be fine, right?" he tried to assure her.

Emma nodded.

"How did it go talking to the police?" Manny then asked Sean.

"I gave the guy the basics," Sean answered. "Told him about what Jay said to us back at the house. Gave him an idea what Jay's all about. I don't think it's going to be too hard for them to find him. Jay's good at taking things, but not so good about staying quiet. The way he was acting around us before, I don't think he's even bothering to hide what he did.

"Anyway, the cop said that once they find Jay, they can take him in for questioning. But they're still going to need a statement from JT when he's able. WE know it wouldn't be anybody else but Jay, but JT's the only one who can tell the police for sure that it was Jay that hurt him."

Emma slowly eased into a chair.

"They're going to get the guy, Emma," Sean said. "He won't get away with what he did."

"Yeah," Emma replied half-hearted.

"What is it?" Manny asked.

"Look, all of that is good to know," Emma explained. "I just…I know I should probably be interested in knowing every detail about the police investigation. But right at this moment, I couldn't care less about what's happening with finding Jay or questioning Jay or anything having to do with Jay. Right now the ONLY thing that really matters is what's going on in that nearby room. I can't think about anything else until I know for certain that JT is all right."

"And that's all you need to think about," Manny said. "Let the police handle Jay."

"I just feel so helpless right now," Emma admitted. "The waiting. Wondering. Not knowing anything. You know that I would do just about anything for him."

Emma had to pause for a moment, emotion making it difficult to speak.

"And yet," she soon continued, "all I CAN do for him right now is sit and wait."

Manny sat down in the chair beside Emma and put an arm around Emma's shoulders while Sean remained standing nearby.

"Sean," Emma soon spoke up, an idea having formed in her mind, "wasn't there any hospital paperwork that needed to be done?"

"Yeah," he answered. "I filled out a couple of forms. I did what I could. I'm sure you know a lot more – things like insurance information. So if you want to get the forms back you can fill in some of the parts I left blank."

"I'll do that. In a minute. Thanks."

After a few more moments of silence, Sean walked toward the open door.

"I'll be back in a few," he told them.

"Where are…"

"I won't be gone for long," he interrupted before Manny could finish.

Manny watched as Sean left the room then noticed that Emma wasn't paying any attention. Instead Emma sat in silence, wringing her hands.

"I hope you're not thinking the worst, Emma."

"No. I'm trying to have only good thoughts."

"Good," Manny said. "We both know that JT wouldn't like the idea of you focusing on worst-case situations."

"That's true. You know, I should probably make some phone calls."

"Your folks? That's a good idea, Em."

"They're spending the evening at Joey and Caitlin's, but they'd want to know about this right away. You know they care a lot about JT, and he feels the same way about them. I also think I should call Liberty. She's such a good friend to both of us; I wouldn't want her to hear about this tomorrow and think we didn't care enough to tell her sooner. So I'll make those calls. After that, I'll take care of the paperwork. And after that…maybe we'll know something."

Emma took the cell phone out of her purse. She then punched in the number to the Jeremiah household and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" a girl's voice answered.

"Angela…Hi. It's Emma."

"Hi," Angela said cheerily.

"Could you put my mom on the phone."

"Sure. Are you okay, Emma? You sound sad."

"Don't worry. I just need to talk to her."

"Okay. Hold on."

Emma waited for a moment while Manny looked on.

"Emma?" her mother's voice suddenly came through.

"Mom…I'm at the hospital."

"Are you all right?" Spike asked, her tone filled with worry and concern. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. It's JT."

"What happened?"

For a moment, Emma had trouble bringing herself to say anything in response. Manny noticed and pointed to the phone and then to herself, non-verbally offering to explain things to Spike. Emma, however, took a deep breath, shook her head in response to Manny and began to speak.

"Mom, JT was…stabbed…at work," Emma explained in a soft voice that her mother could only barely hear. "Then he was brought in here. I only got here a few minutes ago. They haven't told me how he's doing."

"Oh Emma. That's horrible. Are you waiting there by yourself?"

"No," Emma replied, now regaining more of her voice. "Me and Manny and Sean…we're waiting while the doctors are busy taking care of JT. Only I haven't gotten to see him yet."

"You will," Spike told her. "You just have to let the doctors and nurses do what they need to do. Afterward, there'll be plenty of time for you to see him."

"I know. That is, in my head I know. In my heart…not so much."

"Tell me which hospital you're at. I'll grab Archie and we'll be there in a few minutes."

"There's no need for you to hurry," Emma said. "We're not going anywhere anytime soon. At least finish eating dinner."

"No. Our place is there. I know Caitlin and Joey won't mind if Jack stays here with them for awhile."

That comment prompted a new concern for Emma.

"Mom, don't tell Jack what's going on. He's so young. He wouldn't be able to understand how someone could intentionally hurt JT. What am I saying? I can't understand it either."

"Don't worry about Jack. I'd also tell you not to worry about JT either because I know he's going to be all right, but I know it's impossible NOT to worry at a time like this."

Emma then told her mother which hospital they were in and where to find her.

"I wish there was more that I could say right now, Em. Some ideal words of comfort. Just remember that I love you both."

"I know," Emma said, struggling to keep her voice above a whisper. "JT knows it, too."

"We'll see you soon," Spike said before hanging up.

"Manny," Emma then began after the phone call ended, "would you call Liberty? I want to go back up to the desk for that paperwork. Maybe see if I can find out anything new."

"Of course," Manny replied. She could tell that the paperwork was merely an excuse and that Emma didn't feel up to talking anymore right now. "Just give me a number for her."

Meanwhile, Liberty and Patrick were sitting in chairs out in his backyard. Close by was an outdoor barbecue grill warming up.

"Are you more relaxed yet?" Patrick asked her.

"Moreso than when I arrived a few minutes ago. It's nice out here. A great improvement over dealing with that horrible traffic on the way back from the airport."

"At least your parents' flight took off on time. How long did you say they were going to be gone?"

"One week," she answered. "They've both been working extremely hard and wanted to get away for several days."

"That's understandable. It's been nice for me just to have today free. I didn't have to work at the theater tonight, and my folks didn't need me to help out at the restaurant."

"It's certainly nice having the full evening to ourselves," she commented.

"I'm glad you think so, Liberty. Glad you're happy. With tonight AND with us."

"Of course I am."

"I know," Patrick said. "It's just that I wasn't always so sure. But all that changed since that fight we had a couple of weeks ago before graduation. Things have been great ever since."

"An unnecessary argument to be certain," Liberty interjected, "but at least you finally seemed to realize that my longtime friendship with JT isn't an obstacle in our relationship, so there's no need for you to feel threatened. Both of you are important to me in different ways. I've liked you for awhile now, and it's been even easier to like you since you've become more understanding."

"But will you still like me once you've tasted the hamburgers I'm about to make?" he teased. "My cooking isn't exactly up to my parents' level."

"Be that as it may, I'm looking forward to it, Pat."

"Wait," he said, a look of surprise now on his face. "What did you just call me?"

"Your name. Weren't you listening?"

"I know. It's just that you've always called me Patrick. This is, I think, the first time you've ever called me Pat."

"Perhaps I'm getting less formal in my old age?" Liberty joked.

"Next thing you know, you won't mind if I call you Lib."

"Don't push it."

Patrick stood up.

"I think it's time I went in and got the hamburger meat, bring it out and put it on the grill. Want me to get you something to drink while I'm inside?"

"No thanks," she answered. "I'll wait until we're ready to eat."

"Okay. Be back in a minute."

Patrick bent down and kissed the still-seated Liberty and then went into the kitchen, closing the back door behind him. He grabbed the plate with the uncooked hamburger patties, but before he could go back outside he heard the sound of a phone ringing. He knew by the ring tone that it wasn't the house phone. Nor was it his cell. He then realized it had to be Liberty's cell. It was just inside her purse, which was sitting on the kitchen table.

Patrick believed that by the time he could get the cell and take it out to Liberty, the person calling would have already hung up. Thus, he walked over to the table, pulled out the phone and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Um…Maybe I have the wrong number," the voice answered.

"Hold on. Is this Manny?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"It's Patrick Ryan."

"Oh. Hey."

"Liberty's here at my place, but she's outside right now."

"Maybe it's just as well you answered," Manny said. "It would probably be easier on her to hear this from her boyfriend in person rather than from me over the phone."

"Hear what?"

Patrick was stunned as he listened to Manny relate what happened to JT.

"Is he going to be all right?"

"I've told you everything we know so far," she replied. "Right now, we're just sitting here dealing with the Three W's."

"What's that?"

"Waiting, Wondering and Worrying."

"How's Emma doing?" he then asked.

"Managing. As best she can, all things considered. Anyway, we knew Liberty would want to know right away. I hope you two didn't have anything big planned for tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"Like tickets to a show, or reservations to a fancy restaurant."

"We weren't doing anything like that, Manny. But still, it's not like she's a doctor. There's nothing Liberty can do for JT right now. I'm concerned about him, too, but…"

"Trust me, Patrick," Manny interrupted. "I know Liberty will want to come straight here and wait for news with the rest of us. She's tough, but this is going to hit her very hard. It'll help that we're all here waiting together."

"I'd better let you go, Manny."

"Good, we'll see the two of you here soon."

After Manny's last comment, Patrick ended the call without saying another word and then returned the phone to Liberty's purse. Next, he opened the back door. Upon hearing the door, Liberty turned her head around and saw him standing just inside the house. She smiled at him. He hesitated for a moment and then smiled to her in return. He walked back over to the kitchen counter, grabbed the plate of meat and walked outside.

"I was starting to wonder what was keeping you," Liberty said.

"Sorry," he responded. "The phone rang."

"That explains it. Even with the door closed I thought I could hear what sounded like a phone."

"It…It was your phone actually, Liberty."

"Really?"

"Hope you don't mind me answering. I didn't want whoever it was to hang up and I figured…"

"No, that's quite all right. Thanks Pat. Who was it?"

"Manny," Patrick replied, looking uneasy. "Manny Santos."

"Manny?" Liberty was surprised. "That's odd."

"Why's that?"

"Don't get me wrong. She and I get along, at least more now than we once did. Having Emma and JT as mutual friends, we've found that it's much easier on everyone - including each other - to peacefully coexist, considering there are numerous occasions when we're all together. Or when Emma has us both over for a Girls Night. Still, I wouldn't classify us as friends. We don't really talk much outside of such group activities. What did she say? Am I supposed to call her back?"

Patrick started placing the food on the grill, his back now to Liberty.

"No," he answered. "She didn't say anything about returning her call. She…was just checking in. Seeing how you were doing."

"Oh?"

"Surprised me, too," Patrick said, now committed to his deception. "But like you said, the two of you are on somewhat friendlier terms these days."

"Maybe I should give her a call."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Patrick quickly advised. "Anyway, I told her you were over here, so she's not expecting a call back."

"All right. If you say so."

Patrick turned back around, once more facing Liberty.

"Pat, is something the matter? You suddenly look so troubled."

"Troubled? Me?" He hesitated, but continued. "Okay…truthfully, there IS something I want to talk to you about."

"Now you've piqued my curiosity. What is it?"

Patrick looked at his girlfriend. He knew that Liberty should know what he had just found out. He also knew that he and Liberty were now at a good place in their relationship, and he wasn't ready for what he knew would result.

Patrick knew Liberty's feelings for JT weren't romantic, but they were still strong feelings. He wasn't yet ready to have her turn her focus away from him and onto JT and this new predicament. Later, after an enjoyable evening together, it would be okay to break it to her. But not now.

"Oh, it's nothing that can't wait until AFTER we've had a nice meal together, Liberty. Just the two of us. No distractions. I think the meat will be ready in a few minutes."

"Pat, are you sure it wouldn't make you feel better to talk about it now, while we're waiting?"

"It'll keep. We're here. Together. Happier than ever. Nothing could make me feel better than this. Anything else can wait awhile."

Later on back at the hospital, Emma returned to the waiting area.

"I did what I could with the paperwork," Emma told Manny. "No news yet. Or at least nothing they're willing to share. Did you reach her?"

"Patrick answered," Manny informed her. "I let him know what was going on."

"Good," Emma responded as she sat back down beside Manny. "Liberty's probably going to need to lean on him at a time like this."

"Em, you didn't happen to see Sean out there, did you?"

"No. Didn't he go to the restroom or something?"

"He didn't say where he was going. I thought that's where he was headed, but he's been gone for awhile."

"I'm sure he'll turn up sooner or later."

They then sat in silence, continuing to wait. Soon, Emma once more looked at her watch. Then she looked at Manny.

"Maybe I should go back out there. Who knows when they'd bother coming in here to tell me anything, even if there IS some news. Honestly, with all the millions of dollars in state-of-the-art medical equipment, you wouldn't think it would take this long to fix…to repair…to…"

Emma stopped. She realized that under ordinary circumstances, it wouldn't be long before JT would most likely interrupt one of her diatribes to insert some humor into the situation and encourage her to take a breath and relax.

"Never mind," Emma then said. "I should probably be glad about the wait. It means they're taking their time to do things right."

Manny nodded her head in agreement.

"Don't mind me, Manny. Even on my best days, patience isn't one of my stronger traits."

"Would you like me to head over to the hospital cafeteria and get you something?" Manny then asked."I'm sure it's still open, and we haven't eaten anything tonight."

"No. I'm not hungry. Besides, right now I don't know that I'd be able to keep anything down even if I tried to eat something. But thanks for the offer. If you're hungry, don't let me stop you."

"I don't have much of an appetite either."

Emma again looked at her watch, while memories of that first day once more filled her mind.

__

"Hi! I'm Emma Nelson," the little blonde girl greeted after the teacher started to put the students in their groups and before young Manuela had joined the pair.

"I'm James Yorke."

"The crayon thing…Gross."

"And funny?"

Emma smiled.

"And funny," she confirmed, clearly pleasing the boy.

"Thanks."

"Wanna be friends, James?"

"Okay. Friends."


	53. Sitting In Limbo

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. Special thanks to those who have left feedback. It is always appreciated.

****

Chapter 53 - Sitting In Limbo

On this warm summer evening, Liberty sat quietly in her boyfriend's backyard. Patrick sat in a chair beside her, alternating between eating his hamburger and talking. She, however, said very little and had so far only eaten a few bites. Her mind was elsewhere.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, though she had no guesses as to what the problem could be. Whatever it was, she felt that it must have something to do with the phone call. Manny's unexpected and uncharacteristic call to her. The call Patrick answered in her place and then assured her that it was not a big deal.

Liberty finally stood up, placed her plate down in her chair and then excused herself. As she went back inside the house, Patrick assumed she was taking a bathroom break. This was a mistaken assumption.

Once inside the kitchen, she pulled the phone from her purse, which still sat on the table. She knew there was no reason for Patrick to keep anything from her, and yet she felt certain that his conversation with Manny was related to – if not the direct cause of – his subsequent behavior. She trusted her boyfriend, but she trusted her instincts even more.

Meanwhile, Emma sat in the hospital waiting room, her mother and Snake sitting beside her. With each passing minute, she felt more and more anxious.

"If we don't hear some news soon, I think I'm going to go out of my mind," Emma declared.

"Em, I know from my own experiences in this hospital that the doctors are very thorough," Snake said. "And the more thorough they are, the longer it can take before they're done. That's good for the patients, but difficult for those left waiting."

"While we're waiting," Spike offered, "is there anyone else you think should be called…anyone else who might want to be here right now?"

"Let's see," Emma considered. "Manny told me that Liberty's on her way. I'm sure Spinner Mason's going to stop by after he's gotten things under control at the theater. Craig's away for a couple of days on some photo shoot or I'd have called him. Oh, what did you tell Jack?"

"Only that JT wasn't feeling well and that we were leaving so that we could check on him," Spike answered. "Nothing about the hospital."

Emma could no longer remain seated. She stood up and walked toward the open doorway. A slight smile developed on her face.

"You know…there was this one night last Fall. JT and I had been an official couple for only a couple of weeks, and he took me out for this big romantic evening. It's right up there as one of the best nights of my life. Anyway, everything was going great. But there came a point in the midst of our dinner conversation when I admitted to him that I was a little worried that he'd eventually get bored with me."

"Impossible," Snake said.

"But because we've known each other forever, I was afraid we'd run out of things to say to each other. Things to discover about one another. JT quickly convinced me that I didn't have a thing to worry about. And he was right.

"That's not to say things have been great every minute. You know we've had our share of ups and downs just like anybody, but we've never gotten bored with one another or run out of things to say. And the love…that just keeps on growing."

Emma's smile then disappeared.

"I guess I thought back to that conversation because…Right now, I keep thinking of so many more things I want to say to JT. There are so many more things still out there for us to do. So many wonderful moments – both talkative and quiet – still to share. The possibilities are infinite. He just has to get through this."

Spike started to get up from her seat, intending to walk over and hug her daughter, but Emma put her hand up.

"No," Emma said, again trying to sound calm. "Stay there. I'm okay. Or rather, I will be. I'm going to check at the front desk. Maybe this time they'll have something new to tell me."

Emma left the room, leaving Spike and Snake alone.

"She's trying so hard to maintain her composure," Snake commented. "Her sense of control in the midst of an uncontrollable situation."

"I know," Spike agreed. "She's determined to be strong enough for the both of them."

"Emma gets that strong will from her mother," Snake said before leaning over to give his wife a brief kiss on the cheek. "You were the same way back when I found out about the cancer. Strong and reassuring."

"And trying not to let it show how much the situation was tearing me apart on the inside," Spike added. "I also know that, even though what happened tonight was out of her hands, Emma's feeling a certain amount of guilt. Wondering if there's something she could have done that would have prevented what happened."

"She shouldn't," Snake responded.

"Just like I shouldn't have had those thoughts a few years ago…wondering if there were warning signs I missed. Signs I could have spotted early enough so that maybe you wouldn't have had to go through what you went through. Archie, intellectually I knew better, just as Emma knows better. But we're talking about the heart."

"She'll be okay, Christine. They both will. And another thing I know for certain is that the Nelson women are top-notch caregivers. So JT's going to be in good hands with Emma once he's able to get out of here."

Elsewhere in the hospital, Manny walked into the cafeteria and soon saw Sean sitting alone in a booth in the back of the room. She slowly made her way toward the table. From the lack of a plate or cup on his table, she knew Sean hadn't come here for a snack.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Any news?" Sean asked, continuing to stare straight ahead rather than turn to look up at Manny.

"Nothing yet. Emma's parents got here a few minutes ago, so I thought I'd look around. See where you'd wandered off to."

"Sorry. I was going to come back sooner. I just needed to get out of there for awhile. Find someplace quiet to sit and think."

"Oh," Manny said, starting to turn away. "Well, I can go back if…"

"No," he interrupted. "Don't go."

Manny then sat down beside him on the same side of the booth. She felt like wrapping her arms around him and giving him a big hug, but she knew that wasn't the sort of thing he would want right now. Instead, she simply placed her right hand on his left shoulder. A smaller gesture, but one that could let him know she was there for him but wasn't trying to smother him.

"They have this little chapel room on the second floor," Sean told her. "I could have gone there for someplace quiet, but…Me? In a place like that? I think we have enough to worry about tonight without a lightning bolt crashing through the building."

"Sean, don't forget what you said to Emma when she and I first arrived. JT's going to be fine."

"Yeah. And if I keep thinking that, maybe I'll even convince myself. Manny, he looked white as death when we got here."

"But don't forget, Sean…JT's stubborn. He's not going anywhere."

Sean didn't respond, so the couple sat quietly for a moment.

"I don't think I'm the kind of person who's supposed to have a best friend," Sean then said, catching Manny by surprise.

"What?"

"Look at my record. Jay was my best friend for awhile. Nothing good ever came out of that. I finally dropped him, but he's still there, never wanting me to live down the past.

"And then JT…once he felt sure he could trust me, we became friends. And it wasn't long before it was obvious that he'd become the closest friend I've got. And look what I've done. Not friends with me a full year yet and this happens."

"You know better than that," Manny responded. "What's happened tonight is all on Jay. Not you. Just because the two of you have a history doesn't mean you're responsible for what he decided to do to JT. And if you still aren't sure, I'll bet you anything that JT will tell you the same thing."

Sean finally turned his head and looked at Manny.

"You know how much I wanted to go after him tonight. No cops. No courts. Just take care of Jay myself."

"I know," she replied. "Just what Jay probably hoped you'd try to do. I also know that, instead, you chose to help take care of JT. Because that's who you are. If that doesn't prove to you that you know what matters most…"

"Yeah," Sean replied, knowing she was right even though he still had feelings of guilt.

"Me, JT, Em, Craig, the people you work with at the shop…we know what kind of person you are, Sean. So if you ever start doubting it, just ask one of us."

Again there was a brief period of silence.

"Thanks Manny. You know, for coming to look for me."

"Glad I found you, Sean."

Just then, Manny's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered once she grabbed the phone from her purse. "Hi Liberty. I'm surprised you're not here yet."

"Where would that be?" Liberty asked, standing in Patrick's kitchen.

"Here at the hospital."

"The hospital?" Liberty became more confused and more curious.

"Didn't Patrick tell you?" Manny questioned.

"Tell me what?" Liberty grew alarmed.

Her back to the door, Liberty listened in shock while Manny quickly described the events of the evening. Thus, she didn't notice that Patrick had come in from the backyard. He stood listening at the door, feeling a mixture of both guilt and annoyance.

"I had no idea," Liberty told Manny. "Listen, I'm on my way. Also…thank you for trying to contact me before, Manny. I appreciate the effort."

After the conversation ended, Liberty set the phone back in her purse. She then took off her glasses and eased into a chair next to the table. She planned to leave, but first she needed a moment to wrap her mind around the enormity of the information she'd just received.

"You didn't have to call her back," Patrick said, startling Liberty.

Stunned over what she'd just learned about JT, Liberty hadn't yet thought about the fact that Patrick had been keeping this information from her…until she heard his voice. This was something else she couldn't fathom. She refused to turn her head to look at him.

"I came in to get us a couple more Cokes and couldn't help overhearing," he explained. "I was going to tell you. Later. When it felt like the right time. Remember that I told you I had some news."

"Some news?" Liberty said loudly, putting her glasses back on. "That's what you call something so horrifying? That's what you call something you MUST have known I would want to hear about immediately if not sooner?"

"I knew this would be upsetting, Liberty. But there's nothing you can do about the situation over at the hospital – other than get yourself all worked up over something that I'm sure is ultimately going to turn out all right. So it seemed like a good idea to let you enjoy our meal. Once we'd had a nice, relaxing time together, THEN I was going to break the news."

Liberty finally turned around in her chair to look at Patrick.

"Aren't I lucky to have such a caring boyfriend?" she said snidely.

"If anyone has the right to be annoyed right now, it should be me," Patrick then said. "I can't believe you didn't trust me enough to tell you what I was going to tell you in my own time. That you snuck in here and called Manny behind my back. That's really disappointing, Liberty."

"You're accusing me – with a straight face – of not trusting you after what you've just done? I don't believe this."

"Look," Patrick said, "let me grab my keys and we'll go on over there. You get your way, Liberty. Problem solved."

"We aren't going anywhere, Patrick," she proclaimed as she rose from her chair. "I'm going alone."

"He's my friend too," he responded, growing angry, "even though I'm sure you wish you had the monopoly on his friendship."

"Go to the hospital if you want," she told him, "but we are not going there together. Also, if you do decide to show up, stay out of my way."

"This is silly, Liberty. You don't want to deal with something like this on your own."

"I could if I had to, but I won't be alone. Others who are close to JT will be there as well."

Patrick walked up to Liberty and put his arm around her.

"Liberty, if you would take a minute to calm down, you'd see that I was only trying to help you. Trying to ease you into this situation. Look how hysterical you are already and you're not even at the hospital yet."

"Patrick, I suggest you promptly remove your arm from my person. Otherwise, I'll remove it, and I guarantee that my method will bring you a great deal of pain."

"Fine," he said, removing his arm from around her. "Go to the hospital alone. Feed your ego."

"Ego?" she asked incredulously.

"You probably think your presence will instantly help JT in ways that trained medical professionals can't."

"There are so many things I'd like to say to you at this moment, Patrick Ryan, but you can wait. Right now I'm needed elsewhere."

"Needed?" Patrick demanded. "By who? JT? He's got the hospital staff to help him. For anything else, he's got Emma. If Emma needs help right now, she's got Manny. And Manny has that thug boyfriend of hers. So what are you expecting to do once you're there? Liberty…right here – with me – is where you're needed. Wanted."

For a moment, she stood still and said nothing.

"Goodbye, Patrick," Liberty finally said before grabbing her purse and preparing to leave.

"Dammit Liberty!" he shouted, causing her to stop walking out of the kitchen. "This was supposed to be an evening just for us. Is there ever going to be a time when I come first in your life and not this friendship you have with a guy who's never cared about you the way that I do?"

"You're absolutely correct," Liberty said without turning around. "JT's never cared about me in exactly the same way that you've shown you care about me. He never would."

Patrick smiled upon hearing this.

"And that's why he's my best friend, and you…you're simply pathetic," she added before walking out of the room.

Patrick, no longer smiling, was left standing alone in the kitchen. He soon heard the sound of Liberty leaving through the front door and, moments later, the sound of her car backing out of the driveway. He couldn't understand how things had gotten so far out of hand.

Back at the hospital, Emma remained outside of the waiting room, pacing back and forth near the front desk. Soon, a doctor came over from down the hall and handed a chart to the nurse behind the desk. The woman, in turn, pointed the doctor toward Emma.

"I understand you're here for Mr. Yorke?" he asked as he walked toward Emma.

Emma stopped pacing and looked up at the doctor.

"Yes," she answered quickly. "JT's with me. How is he, doctor?"

"Mr. Yorke is in stable condition."

Emma let out a heavy sigh of relief and started to smile.

"That…that's terrific. Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much. Is he ready? Can I take him home now?"

"Not tonight," the doctor replied.

She looked at the man for a moment, then decided that he just needed reassurance from her that JT would be all right leaving with her.

"Well, I know I'm not a nurse, but I assure you I can do an excellent job when it comes to taking care of JT."

"Miss…"

"Tell me what he needs and I can take care of it," she continued, growing more anxious and not giving the doctor a chance to speak. "I'll make sure he gets plenty of rest. Not the easiest task, because he's such an energetic guy. But I'll make sure he rests, even if I have to sit on his legs to keep him from getting up."

"You don't understand," he again tried to tell her.

"No, just tell me what I need to do for him," she said in a tone of growing desperation.

"Miss, what I need you to do right now is remain calm so I can explain the situation."

This time, Emma said nothing further.

"Now," the doctor continued, "as I said, Mr. Yorke's condition is stable and, frankly, he's lucky to be alive."

Emma listened intently as the doctor explained what went on in the ER. Save for a few head nods and 'I see' replies, she remained silent. Soon, Manny and Sean noticed the pair as they were making their way back and intending to return to the waiting room. As they came closer, the doctor left, having finished his conversation with Emma.

"Em?" Manny called to her.

Emma remained still and non-responsive, so Manny moved even closer.

"Emma?" she tried again.

This time Emma turned her head slowly and looked at Manny.

"What did the doctor have to say?"

"Let's go back to the room," Emma answered. "That way I can tell all of you at one time."

The three friends walked back into the waiting room. Sean and Manny sat down but Emma continued to stand.

"Did you find out anything?" Snake asked.

Emma nodded. She then took a deep breath before she felt ready to speak.

"First of all," she began, "JT's alive, and he's going to be all right."

That statement brought huge relief to the four people seated in the room.

"But it was touch and go for awhile," Emma explained. "He lost a lot of blood before he even got here, plus there was also some internal bleeding. The doctor said that soon after JT got here and they had him on the table, he…Coded? I think that was the term. He just…stopped."

Emma felt a tear forming, but wiped it from her left eye. She knew JT would be all right and so she was determined to get through this explanation without breaking down.

"But they used those paddles," she continued, "and right away his heart rhythm was back and there were no more incidents like that.

"The two knife wounds went deep but didn't puncture any of the vital organs. The doctor did say that the knife just barely missed hitting the intestines. Just a slight difference in where the knife went in and…and that would have been enough to…that would have been that."

Emma had to pause again. She stopped trying to make eye contact with the others and focused her eyes on the floor.

"Anyway, they stopped the bleeding," she resumed. "Cleaned the wounds. They didn't see any sign of infection. He's stitched up. But they're going to keep him here, at least overnight. They want to monitor his condition."

"Is he awake?" Manny asked.

"He was, but now he's resting. They're giving him something to help ease the pain. He's also hooked up to an IV for the time being. But the doctor said I could see him in a little while. Right now, they're getting him set up in a room."

"This really is good news, Emma," Spike said. "Even with the close calls. And it's a positive sign that the doctors feel comfortable enough about his condition right now to put him in a room rather than hold him in Intensive Care."

"I know, Mom. I'll just feel more certain about everything once I see him. Then I'll be able to see for myself that he's okay. To think that he almost…"

"You can't think about that," Sean finally spoke up. "And you can't let JT think about it either. The main thing is that the 'almost' didn't happen. He made it. That's what counts."

"The worst is over now, Em," Manny added. "So I want you to come sit over here and try to relax."

"Sitting I can do," Emma responded. "Relaxing isn't going to happen until I'm with JT."

Later on, after the staff had gotten JT settled into a room on the third floor, Emma was notified that she could go in and see him. She stood at his doorway and looked in. She could see JT lying in bed. The light was on, but he appeared to be sleeping. She then noticed the IV to his left. Even though she knew it was vital, seeing it connected to JT still made her shudder.

She then entered the room. Part of her wanted to run over to him, climb onto his bed and hold him tightly, shouting out about her love for him and her plan to never let go of him. Common sense won out, however, as she knew that holding him could be very painful to him right now, while shouting would get her kicked out of the room. Instead, she saw a chair in the corner nearest the door. She grabbed it and placed it near the bed on his right side.

Emma sat down and looked at JT. She thought he looked so peaceful there, his eyes closed and his breathing normal. She had so much she wanted to say, but for now she was thankful just to be able to watch him.

She reached out with her left hand and gently took hold of JT's right hand. Leaning down, she kissed the inside of his hand, then united it with her own right hand. They were always holding hands, but this time Emma had never been more thankful for the opportunity. Then she leaned her head so that her right cheek rested on the back of his hand as she looked over at his face.

As Emma sat like this, watching over the man she loved, it finally happened. The tears she had fought back all evening could no longer be contained. She finally began to cry. Tears for the assault upon JT. Tears for the pain he felt. Tears for how close to death he'd come. Tears for the fact that she had been unable to prevent any of this from happening. And mixed in were tears of joy for his survival.

"I love you so much," she eventually said in a soft voice. "So very much. When I think about what happened…And when I think about what ALMOST happened…"

She couldn't say anything else. In silence, she continued to watch him, their hands still connected.

After awhile, Emma suddenly felt his hand give hers a slight squeeze. It was just barely noticeable and Emma thought she might have imagined it. However, a few seconds later she again felt the squeezing of her hand. Moments after this, JT slowly opened his eyes. He then made a light groaning sound. He turned his head slightly to his right and saw Emma looking at him.

"Hello there," Emma said, raising her head up and now feeling further relieved.

"Hi angel," JT responded with a weak voice.

Upon hearing his voice, Emma was overjoyed and gave his hand a squeeze in return.

"Don't know why I fell asleep like that," he continued. "I was trying to stay awake for when you got here."

"It's okay, Jamie. The doctor said you'd be resting."

"Emma…"

"What is it?" she asked after again kissing his hand.

"About pizza tonight…I think I'm gonna be a little late."

This made Emma smile.

"But don't worry," he added, his voice still not very strong. "I've got a pretty good excuse."


	54. Be Strong

****

The Long And Winding Road

****

Chapter 54 - Be Strong

Emma sat at JT's bedside, continuing to hold his hand. Being able to listen to his voice once again, she couldn't recall the last time she had felt such a great sense of relief. She understood about the pain JT would feel for at least the next several days, and she wished he didn't have to endure it. But he was alive. Alive and awake and talking to her. And for now, that was everything.

"Emma, could you do me a favor?" JT asked.

Though his voice was weak, Emma could still hear him clearly.

"Just name it," she replied.

"Lean in closer and listen."

"Okay."

Emma leaned her head even closer toward him, but when he didn't say anything she grew puzzled.

"What am I listening for?" she asked.

"Does anything sound strange or out of place?" he questioned.

"No. Why?"

"Good," JT said, sounding relieved. "Don't you remember a few weeks ago at TMD we showed that new documentary? The one called 'Hospital Hell – True Stories of Medical Mistakes.' I wanted to make sure one of the doctors here didn't accidentally drop a watch or something inside of me before they stitched me up."

Emma sat back again and looked at JT, expecting to see a grin come over his face. What she saw, though, was that he wasn't joking. JT looked genuinely concerned.

"This is one of the best hospitals in the city," she said, trying to ease his mind. "They're supposed to have an excellent track record. I'm positive no mistakes were made. Anyway, none of the stories profiled in that film were local. I think most of those hospitals were in the States."

"I'm sure you're right," he responded. "Guess I'm just being silly."

"I don't want you to worry about such things, JT. Just rest and leave any worrying to me. I'm good at that sort of thing."

"Do you know how all this happened?" he then asked.

"Enough to get a general idea," Emma answered.

"I want to tell you about it."

"Jamie, you don't have to get into this right now. You're tired and…"

"No," JT interrupted. "I need to tell you. I need you to understand."

"All right," Emma said. "You know I always want to hear anything you have to say. I just want you to relax."

"Emma, I didn't mean for all this to happen. I didn't mean to make a mess of everything."

Emma was startled to hear what sounded like JT blaming himself for what had happened that evening.

Meanwhile, Manny sat in between Sean and Liberty in the third-floor waiting room down the hall from JT's room. While the girls talked, Sean was thumbing through the pages of a magazine, more as something to do to kill time rather than having an actual interest in reading it.

"I can't imagine why Pat would do something like that, Liberty," Manny said.

"It's not worth discussing," Liberty replied, not wanting to let her troubled relationship distract from why they're all there. "He had his reasons, and I'm sure he'll remain forever convinced that they're valid. I, however, have no interest in his justifications. What matters most is that JT is going to be all right. Do you think we'll get to see him?"

"Hopefully," Manny answered. "Probably not for too long since they're going to want him to get a lot of rest. If we don't get to tonight, then definitely in the morning."

Just then, a weary-looking Spinner walked into the room.

"Is it true?" he asked the group. "Is he really doing okay?"

"Hey Spinner," Manny greeted him. "Yeah. He's going to be feeling it for awhile, and he'll have to take it easy, but he'll be fine."

"Any word from the cops?"

"Nothing new," Sean said, putting down the magazine. "They're going to come by in the morning to get JT's statement, but they said they'd call sooner if they found Jay."

"How did everything go at the theater?" Manny then asked Spinner.

"Naturally we shut down after everything that happened. We told the customers that, since they had to leave early, they can bring their ticket stubs back the day after tomorrow and see the movies over again. No problems. Oh, except for some old lady who wanted me to promise that she'd also get free food for coming back."

"But you took care of it," Sean suggested.

"Yeah, I ripped up her ticket stub and told the greedy old bat to hit the road."

"You ever thought about going into public relations, Spin?" Sean asked sarcastically.

"Hey, I didn't have time for her attitude," Spinner defended himself. "Not tonight. Not after… Not tonight. Anyway, I'll apologize next time she comes in. But I bet she won't even remember. You know how people can't remember things when they get up there in years. It's called Old Timer's Disease."

"Gavin," Liberty interjected, "I understand you're the one who found JT, and that you didn't waste any time in getting him medical attention."

Spinner had only interacted with Liberty a few times in the past and usually didn't know quite what to make of her, but he understood that she and JT had a close friendship.

"Yeah," he responded. "Just did what I could. Was just hoping I wasn't too late when I saw him."

Liberty then stood up and faced Spinner.

"I'm learning that you simply cannot count on some people to be there for you in difficult times," she explained. "You're obviously not that type of person, Gavin. Thank you for making sure my best friend got the help he needed."

She extended her hand, wanting to shake his as an expression of gratitude. He followed her lead and the two shook hands.

Downstairs, Snake received change back from the cafeteria's cashier after purchasing two cups of coffee. He and Spike then walked down the hall, on their way to the elevator.

"Christine, aren't you going to say anything in response to my suggestion?"

"I assumed my silence was all the response you'd need. Although I AM tempted to have you admitted for a brain scan."

"Think about it, though," Snake continued. "If the situations were reversed and – years from now – one of us was estranged from Jack, we'd still want to know if something this serious happened to our boy."

"That could never happen with us," Spike argued. "We would never treat Jack in the kind of heartless way that this man has treated JT. Look, Snake, I know your heart is in the right place, but when you look at things realistically, surely you can see how absurd it would be. Nathaniel Yorke has no business knowing about what's happened tonight."

An elevator opened up and the couple walked in. Spike pressed the third-floor button.

"I'm not saying I'd be thrilled with the prospect of making that call," Snake explained as the elevator door closed. "When I think of the lack of consideration he's shown for JT, not to mention doing that background check on Emma last year, I'd like to donate his body to Degrassi as the gym's new punching bag. But maybe if he understood how close he's come to really losing his son, some speck of goodness within him might show itself. It just seems like it's only right to notify him."

"Right? Archie, there's nothing right about it. As far as I'm concerned, this is a closed subject."

Back in JT's room, Emma was concerned as JT grew increasingly troubled.

"Why doesn't it hurt more?" JT asked, looking confused. "I mean, I can feel it. But shouldn't it be a lot worse?"

"They're giving you something so you it won't be so bad. So that you'll be able to rest easier tonight."

"You're right. I remember now. And they told me I had to stay here. Maybe a couple of days. They won't let me go home tonight. Home…We were supposed to do more apartment hunting tomorrow."

"We have a lot of time for that," Emma said, not wanting him to worry. "Once you're well, we'll find you something wonderful."

"And now Saturday's ruined, too," he continued. "Emma, it was going to be so great."

"I understand about Saturday, JT. I know we haven't missed a Saturday afternoon of movie watching since we started seeing them there together years ago."

Emma didn't realize that JT was thinking about his plans to propose to her on that day.

"But that's not…"

"It's all right, though," Emma interrupted. "We'll still be spending the time together. Just at home instead. Jamie, it doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing. What's important is that you're okay. Of course, that doesn't mean I want you in this hospital a minute longer than absolutely necessary, but you know what I mean."

Emma's words made JT smile in spite of his feelings of disappointment, but then he realized he still hadn't explained to her about what happened to him.

"It was Jay," JT blurted out. "He showed up looking to get to me. Hoping he'd finally get me to react to him. I never do. I always just laugh at him. But this time, I…And then he…"

Emma saw the distress in his eyes and squeezed his hand.

"You don't have to talk about it," she offered. "I have a fairly good idea what happened."

"I tried not to let Jay get to me," he continued, ignoring her suggestion. "Figured I'd just annoy him like I have before. He makes it so easy. And it would make for a funny story to tell while the four of us were eating.

"I've always known he was a nut, but he was never worth taking serious. But he started talking about Sean and it really ticked me off. He had no right. I started to argue with him. I was so stupid…letting him know he was getting to me. Exactly what he's always wanted. And once he knew I wasn't ignoring him, he took the next step. The one he knew I couldn't ignore."

JT stopped speaking and yawned. He felt so tired, but he knew he wouldn't be able to rest if he didn't explain things to Emma.

"Emma, he talked about you," JT continued. "Disgusting words from a disgusting person. I just snapped. But you know me…I'm not a fighter. But I did shove him. Hard. Knocked him off balance. Only, then he pushed back. I was trying to catch my own balance when I felt something. At first it felt like a punch to the stomach, only a little different. Then I looked down and saw him pull this…thing…this knife…out of me."

Even though Emma knew that it was all over, she couldn't help but regain that feeling of worry and dread as JT recalled these events. Still, she realized that JT felt the need to say it all out loud.

"Before I could say anything or do anything or even think," JT recalled, "it went in again. Near where it hit the first time. Then he shoved me to the ground. He just stood there. Talking. Like nothing had happened. I don't know what he said. I wasn't really listening anymore. I just know he left soon after."

Despite believing she'd already released all the tears she had to spare, Emma found her eyes misting up once more.

"After he was gone I tried to get up, but it wasn't happening," JT explained, taking great effort not to lose focus on what he needed to say. "All at once my knees felt weak, I had this sharp headache. And I had this feeling in my stomach. I can't even describe it. All I know is I never felt anything like it. And I remember having this weird metallic taste in my mouth. Anyway, I was all hunched over and trying to hold my stomach. I was bleeding and hoping it wouldn't all leak out. I remember I could breathe. But it was hard to. And I kept feeling like I needed to cough even though I didn't really have to.

"And I was scared, Emma. Scared he'd come back and finish the job."

Emma felt a chill just thinking about the possibility.

"Somehow I had enough strength to crawl back behind my desk. I just sat there, figuring that if he came back, maybe he'd think I was gone. But…I remember…someone DID come in. I think there was something about finding a phone."

"That was Spinner," Emma explained.

"Really?"

Emma nodded.

"My eyes…it wasn't blurry, but so hard to focus. And I could hear a voice, but it wasn't really registering, if that makes any sense. I don't know whether I could have talked or not. I didn't even try. I was too afraid Jay would hear me, wherever he was, and come back."

"From what I was told," Emma said, "Spinner found you and called for an ambulance right away. He let the staff know what was going on. Then he stayed with you right up until the paramedics put you into the ambulance."

"I think I remember being in the ambulance," JT remarked. "I don't know."

"Sean rode along with you. He said you were in and out of consciousness the whole time."

"How did he get there?"

"Jay showed up at Sean's place bragging about what he'd done, so Sean and Manny went to check on you and see if Jay was lying. Sean wanted to ride with you to make sure you'd be all right. Spinner stayed behind and took care of things at the theater. Manny came to the house and got me."

"See? I really made a mess of things this time."

"Hardly," Emma responded.

"I'm not sorry for trying to defend you. I'm just sorry I couldn't do a better job. I should have found some other way to handle him. And to think I did all this with employees and customers all through the building. I could have gotten any one of them hurt. All because I thought I knew what I was doing. Really mature way to run a business."

Emma was about to remind him that only Jay is to blame for what happened, but she noticed that JT's upset expression suddenly turned to one of panic.

"I didn't even ask…Emma, Jay didn't go looking for you, did he? You said he went to see Sean, but after that…If he tried to…"

Upset but still very weak, JT tried unsuccessfully to sit up in his bed.

"Jamie, it's okay."

Emma leaned forward and kissed JT while continuing to hold his right hand. She gently guided him so that he was once more laying down in the bed. She then placed her free hand on his shoulder so he wouldn't try to get up again.

"I'm right here with you and doing fine," she said, trying to sound as reassuring and comforting as she could. "And it's been over a year since the last time I even saw that lowlife from a distance."

"Okay," JT said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"We both know Jay tries to talk to Sean in hopes Sean will go back to his old ways," Emma commented. "You being Sean's closest friend and someone who never bought into Jay's tough guy image, he was hoping to bother you. The only bad thing Jay's done to me today is to hurt you."

Several minutes passed, as Emma was able to get JT to relax.

"Sean's been keeping in contact with the police. I'm sure they'll want to talk to you soon, but not tonight. They have all the information they need for now. Manny's been a big help as well, making phone calls and keeping my spirits up."

"I'm glad you weren't out there by yourself," JT said.

"No chance of that. We got hold of some of the people we knew would want to be here. Mom and Archie have been here most of the time. Liberty arrived a few minutes before I came in here to see you. And I'm pretty sure Spinner's here by now. You've got so many people in your corner, JT. Don't ever doubt that. And just so you know…nobody is going to let you blame yourself for any of this. There's only one person responsible for this situation, and the police will deal with him."

JT wanted to believe that he bore no responsibility, if only because that's what Emma was telling him. But right now, he felt too weary and too confused to know what to think.

Out in the waiting room, Manny and Sean sat in a corner toward the back of the room talking, both feeling great relief that JT was going to be all right. Liberty, Spinner, Snake and Spike sat closer toward the door exchanging small talk. Out of the corner of his eye, Spinner noticed someone standing at the open door. He looked up and saw Patrick.

"Liberty," Spinner said, "your boyfriend's here."

She looked away from the older couple and saw Patrick. Spinner could see that Liberty looked less than thrilled.

"Excuse me for a moment," she told her three companions.

She walked briskly toward the newly arrived young man.

"Is there something you need?" she asked coldly.

"I was hoping we could talk," Patrick replied.

"JT's doing fine. So thoughtful of you to make that your first concern."

"No need to be sarcastic, Liberty. I know he's doing fine. I asked at the front desk before coming up here."

"Then what do we have to talk about?" she demanded.

"It's a little crowded in there," he said. "Maybe we could go somewhere more private?"

"All right. I'll walk you to the elevator around the corner."

He sighed, but nodded his head in agreement. Then the two started to walk down the hallway.

"I apologize, Liberty. I really was going to tell you about what happened to JT, but I honestly thought it would be better to wait until later on. I should have just told you as soon as I found out."

Patrick waited for her to say something in response, but she said nothing.

"Well?" he tried prompting her for a reaction.

"I assume you feel better now?" Liberty finally answered as they turned the corner.

"I was hoping YOU would feel better," he said.

"You hoped wrong. No thanks to you, I was finally able to learn what was going on and get here. You will never understand how happy I am that JT is going to be fine. However, neither you nor I knew at the time that he would be all right. JT could have been dying. And if that was the case, instead of being here to comfort Emma, or even…even getting the chance to say a final goodbye…I would have been at your house eating your food, blissfully unaware that someone I hold dear was in his final moments. All because YOU, Patrick Ryan, are a selfish bastard."

By this time, the pair had reached the elevators.

"Liberty…" Patrick knew she was unhappy with him, but didn't expect such hostility, even to the point of using language he was fairly certain she had never before used.

"You had your moment to speak," Liberty stopped him. "Your apology means nothing. Merely words without understanding or sincerity. You have always been so convinced that I still harbor romantic feelings for JT. Convinced that I would constantly compare you to him…and find him preferable. Well, let me tell you something. It's your insecurities about my friendship with JT that have caused the end of this relationship, not any non-platonic feelings for him that you'd like to think I have.

"I really liked you, Patrick. And because you and I became friends when we helped JT and Emma admit their feelings to one another, I felt sure you understood the nature of my own feelings for JT. They run deep, but not beyond the level of friendship. I was even willing to give you the reassurance you seemed to need on more than one occasion, but apparently it was never enough. I'm tired. I'm fed up. And more than anything else, I no longer trust you."

"So that's it," Patrick responded, growing annoyed with her lecturing. "In your mind, I screwed up. I even apologized, but it doesn't matter because you'd already made your decision. You have so much to offer, Liberty, but nothing's ever going to come of it because – friendship, crush, whatever – everything always comes back to JT Yorke. I swear, JT could run over your mother with a car and then make a joke about it, and you'd find some way to rationalize the whole thing and make him the victim. But I delay in giving you a phone message, and you're ready to call for a firing squad."

"You will never understand," Liberty said. "We're done – both with this conversation and this relationship."

"Fine. If that's the way you want it."

"It wasn't what I wanted at all, Patrick, but you simply don't get it. You forced things to turn out this way. Goodbye."

She started to turn away from him.

"Liberty," Patrick called to her. "Wait."

Reluctantly, Liberty remained where she was. She watched as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He took out some money and held it up.

"Take this," he said, holding his hand out. "Twenty bucks. Maybe you can bribe one of the nurses to let you give JT a sponge bath. It'll be your dream come true, and you'll always be able to say that I helped make it possible."

Liberty, without hesitation, slapped the left side of Patrick's face soundly with her right hand, and the money dropped from his hand onto the ground.

Just then, an elevator opened up. Patrick picked up the fallen money then stepped inside. Soon, the elevator door closed. Liberty turned to go back to the waiting room when she saw Spinner standing over at the corner.

"You okay?"

"Enjoy the floor show?" Liberty asked sarcastically as she walked in his direction.

"You…left your purse back in the waiting room," he explained, holding up the item. "I didn't know when you were coming back and thought…"

"Thank you." She grabbed the purse once she had walked to the corner where he stood. "We should get back."

"Sorry," Spinner said as they both started walking toward the waiting room. "You know…about all that."

"Thanks."

"But I liked the slap," he added. "Remind me never to make you mad. Unless, you know, you give me a running start to get away."

"I'll keep that in mind, Gavin," Liberty said, this time without any sarcasm.

Soon after Liberty and Spinner returned to the room, Emma arrived. She explained that JT wanted a chance to see everyone before going to sleep. She told how the doctor, who had come to check on JT's condition, was hesitant about him having more visitors, but JT was insistent.

She then related the doctor's instructions. They could go in to say hello to JT, but not all at once. Also, they could only stay for a few moments. There would be more time to visit the following day.

Emma returned to JT's room with Spike and Snake. JT was happy they were there, though it was becoming more difficult for him to remain awake. Liberty was his next visitor, followed by Spinner.

Shortly thereafter, while Manny and Sean were with JT, Emma left and went back into the waiting room and sat down next to her mother.

"Don't take it personally if tomorrow JT doesn't remember he saw you guys tonight," Emma said. "The drugs are really starting to take hold now."

"All that matters is that he's going to be around to SEE tomorrow," Spike stressed.

"I'm going to stay here tonight," Emma then said. "I know JT's okay. That he's in good hands. But I can't leave. Not tonight. Even just sitting out here…I'll be close to him."

"You don't have to explain, Em" Spike assured. "If it was Archie lying in there, wild horses couldn't drag me out of this building. Archie and I can stay too, if you want. He was just on the phone with Joey, and Jack's going to stay with them for the night. So we're available."

"Thanks Mom, but I'll be fine."

"Okay," Spike said. "But, no matter what time it is, call us if anything changes with JT's condition during the night. Or if you just want to talk. Or if you don't have any reason at all and just want to call."

She then hugged her daughter.

"He'll be up and around before you know it, Emma," she said after the hug, knowing that her daughter needed the encouragement.

After saying their goodbyes, Emma's mother and stepfather left.

"I wish there was something more I could do, Emma," Liberty then said.

"JT smiled when he saw you a few moments ago," Emma commented. "That was something."

Just then, Manny and Sean returned.

"JT wanted to talk," Manny said, "but before he even realized it, his eyes were closed."

A few moments later, Emma was back in JT's room, standing over his bed. She leaned down and lightly kissed him on the lips.

"How did you know I wanted you to do that?" JT asked.

Barely awake, he opened his eyes and smiled.

"Well it can't be a psychic thing, JT, because I thought you were asleep."

"Off and on."

"I just wanted to see you one more time tonight," Emma explained. "But don't worry. I'm only going to be just down the hall."

"You're not going home?" he asked.

"And give you time to flirt with all the nurses?" she teased. "Not on your life."

"You shouldn't stay there alone."

"Don't worry, Jamie. When I told them I was staying, Manny and Sean insisted on staying, too, to keep me company."

"Good," JT said, relieved. "Hey, Emma…"

"Yeah?"

"This really happened, didn't it. Not some dream I'm going to wake up from. It's all real."

"I'm afraid so," she replied. "But you made it through the worst of it. Tomorrow will be a little better. And the day after that better still."

She was going to continue, but then she noticed that JT's eyes had again closed and he had fallen back to sleep.

"I love you," Emma whispered. "Now and forever."

**Next Chapter –** The day after…with Ellie Nash.


	55. Brand New Day

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

**Chapter 55 - Brand New Day**

Around 6:30 Thursday morning, Spinner stood just outside the door to JT's hospital room. Though the door was shut, he could hear the sound of a TV so he opened the door. The room light was off but he could see JT lying in bed, awake.

From his bed, JT noticed his door was now open, but he couldn't see who was standing at the doorway. This made him nervous.

"Who's there?" he asked hesitantly.

"Spin."

JT breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on in," JT instructed. "You can turn on the light."

"I was getting a drink of water," Spinner said as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him. "And when I was walking back I thought I heard some voices in here."

"I couldn't sleep anymore," JT explained.

"Because of the pain? Need me to find a doctor or something?"

"No, I'm fine. Well, as fine as I can be considering I'm in a hospital bed. The pain's there, but not too bad right now. Thank God for whoever invented the painkillers the doctors are giving me. Anyway, at the moment I feel worn out, but not sleepy."

Spinner sat down in the chair beside the bed.

"So I thought I'd try some TV," JT continued.

"Anything good on?" Spinner asked, looking over at the television hanging up on the wall opposite the bed.

"Looks like the only thing worse than prime-time programming is early-morning programming," JT answered. "Right now it's all infomercials or reruns of old sitcoms that weren't funny the first time."

"They still have the infomercial for that vacuum-like thing that was supposed to cut hair?" Spinner questioned. "My mom bought one of those a few years ago. Her hair never did grow back right."

"No, but this one on now is for a knife that they say is sharp enough to chop vegetables AND cut through a tennis ball. Who would ever want something like that?"

Spinner laughed, but then he noticed that JT had turned his full attention to the program. JT's right hand was now clinging tightly to the remote as he watched the man on the screen waving a knife around and talking about the sharpness of the blade. Figuring that the television image was making JT think about the assault, Spinner quickly reached over and pressed the 'Off' button on the remote control.

"Um…yeah, you're right, JT. There's too much crap on TV. No point watching it when you're already feeling rotten enough as it is."

At first JT didn't say anything. Then, as though it finally registered that the set was off, he slowly turned his head toward Spinner.

"You say something?" JT asked quietly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Spin. It's just…for a minute…I stopped seeing the real guy and…"

"That wasn't Jay," Spinner assured. "Just some loser hosting a stupid infomercial for something nobody's gonna want."

"I just wish I could stop thinking about it," JT remarked. "About him."

"Hey, give it time. It's only been a few hours. You know what they say – Nome wasn't built in a day."

"That would be Rome that wasn't built in a day, Spinner. As in Italy. Not Nome, Alaska."

"Oh. Okay, but I'll bet you five bucks Nome, Alaska wasn't built in a day either."

JT started to laugh, but quickly stopped himself.

"Right now it even hurts to laugh," JT remarked. "And for me, that's going to get real annoying."

"Okay then. So no bad TV and no joking around. What now?"

"Emma told me all you did tonight, Spin. Or I guess now it was LAST night."

"Uh-oh. What did I do wrong?"

"No. She helped me put the pieces together of everything that went on. You getting help. Taking care of everything there."

"Oh, that," Spinner said, wanting to downplay his role. "No a big deal. You know I'll do anything to make Employee of the Month."

"We don't have an Employee of the Month thing, Spin."

"Yeah. Well…don't give me much credit. I was all over the place trying to figure out the best way to take care of things. Hoping I wasn't making it all worse. You know making stuff worse is what I do best. And if you didn't know, just ask all my ex-bosses. Or Paige."

"What I know is…if you hadn't found me, and done everything you did, I wouldn't be around to…"

JT couldn't finish his sentence, but Spinner understood what he was getting at.

"You know, JT," Spinner started, hoping to lighten the mood, "things were a lot easier back when the toughest thing we had to do was try to top each other with the practical jokes."

He saw that JT had finally let go of the remote control and was much more at ease.

"Listen," Spinner continued, "if you're too tired just tell me to shut up, but there's some business stuff you should know about."

"It's okay," JT replied. "What's up?"

"I told customers to come back Friday to make up for missing the rest of what they were watching. I figured that's how you'd want it handled. They were cool about it."

"Good thinking."

"As for the staff, everyone's figuring we're not opening up today. Unless you think…"

"No, that's fine. But for today, there's some things I need you to take care of."

About two hours later, Emma was sitting alone in the waiting room busily talking on her phone.

"Yeah, Mom, I just left him a few minutes ago. JT's looking a little better this morning. At least he's got more of the color back in his face. He's not nearly as pale as he was last night. I got some rest…or as much rest as a person can get under these circumstances and sitting in these less-than-comfortable chairs. We weren't really taking it in shifts, but it ended up where at least one of the five of us was awake throughout the night in case there was any change.

"I think Spinner went home sometime earlier this morning while I was asleep. I don't know for sure. The others went down for breakfast while I was in with JT. No, I'm going to eat. Don't worry. They said they'd bring me back some food from the cafeteria. And now that JT made it through the night okay, I think I'll have enough of an appetite to finally eat something. Manny's going to drop me off at the house a little later so I can shower and change clothes."

Just then, Ellie appeared in the doorway. Dressed in her usual darkly colored attire, one thing was different. Around her left wrist was a band. It had been ages since Ellie had last worn one, but after what she had learned minutes earlier, she searched her purse while on her way to the hospital and found an old one to put on. While so far she hadn't snapped it against her skin, she wanted to have it on just in case the stress became too much.

Ellie's presence caught Emma by surprise.

"Mom? I'd better let you go. You'll be able to come by for a visit this afternoon, right? Great. I know JT will be glad to see you. Bye."

Emma ended the call and looked over at Ellie, who walked into the room. Worry filled Ellie's face.

"I just found out JT was here," Ellie said as Emma rose from her chair. "I don't know what to say. And saying 'I don't know what to say' is probably the most useless thing I COULD say. They told me downstairs that he's going to be okay. But 'okay' to them doesn't necessarily mean 'okay' in ordinary language. They also said he's allowed visitors, though. So maybe 'okay' really is 'okay' this time. I'm sure I'm talking too much. I'm not normally like this. Talking so much and yet not really saying anything. It was just so shocking to hear about. One moment you're enjoying a peaceful morning, and the next…Tell me…Is JT going to be okay? Really okay?"

"Yes," Emma replied.

"And they are letting JT have visitors?"

"Yes," Emma again answered.

"Would it be okay if I went in to see him?"

"No."

Meanwhile, miles away from the hospital, Jay was slowly beginning to wake up. He opened his eyes and let out a loud groan.

"What's your problem?" a young woman's voice came from the nearby bathroom.

"Nothing," Jay answered. "Just hurts to open up my eyes, that's all."

"As often as you get wasted," she commented, "I'd think by now your eyes would be used to the morning after."

"Don't get bitchy on me, Ginger," he said, rolling his eyes. "It's too early in the morning. Besides, I didn't see you turning down any drinks at the bar last night."

"Some people can hold their liquor better, Jay. Besides, who cares what you feel like right now? You weren't feeling any pain when we came back here last night and got in that bed."

"Damn straight," he responded proudly. "And what a way to celebrate my success yesterday!"

"What success were we celebrating?" he heard Ginger ask. "Having enough money to keep from getting kicked out of the bar?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," he said, smirking. "Now bring that hot ass of yours back to bed."

"Some of us have to go to work today," she called back to him.

"I do too, but I'm in no hurry," Jay said casually.

"All this time and you never have told me where your job is."

"I work for myself, babe. Call it working in commodities. I find things that are a real steal and sell them at great prices."

"Sounds like you're a regular big shot, Jay. But I still want you dressed by the time I come back in there. You can go back to your place to sleep the morning away."

"Okay, I'll go if I have to. But it's gonna be your loss."

Back at the hospital, Ellie's nervousness turned into anger after hearing Emma's response. While the redhead hadn't expected anything less than an awkward encounter with her, she couldn't believe Emma would try to deny her the opportunity to visit.

"Look," Ellie stated, "I know you and I don't get along. This is a bad situation for JT, and I'm probably about the last person you'd like to see right now. But like it or not, JT and I are good friends. If the doctors think he's well enough to have visitors, then I WILL see him. You aren't in charge here. I was only asking you as a courtesy."

Ellie turned from Emma and started to leave the room, but Emma called out to her.

"The reason you can't see him is because the police are in with him now. They're taking his formal statement about the stabbing."

Now feeling embarrassed, Ellie slowly turned back around toward Emma.

"Oh," she said sheepishly. "See, this is a good reason why I don't normally make big emotional speeches. I should have waited to hear the reason. While I remove the foot from my mouth, I hope you'll forget that little tirade."

"Deal," Emma replied calmly as she sat back down. She then noticed the surprised look on Ellie's face. "Misunderstandings happen. The two of us getting into an argument really would be the stupidest thing either of us could do right now. I don't know how long it'll take in there. But if you've got the time and want to wait here, feel free."

Ellie took a seat two chairs over from Emma.

"I worked late yesterday, so I'm not due at the station until later on," Ellie explained. "But if it turns out JT's too tired after making his statement, I can come back another time."

Emma said nothing in response.

"Stabbed…I can't believe it." Another thought then occurred to Ellie. "Emma, the wounds…there's no infection is there? It's very important to make sure that…"

"Cleaned up. No sign of infection."

"That's good," Ellie said, relieved.

"How did you hear about what happened?" Emma then asked.

"I went over to Ryan's for breakfast this morning," Ellie explained. "There were two girls in the next booth, and I overheard one tell the other how she and a friend missed most of the movie they went to see last night. There had been some sort of situation. An ambulance had been called for the person in charge, and police were there asking everyone questions. I was generally curious, but I didn't know for certain that they were talking about JT and his theater until…"

"Until what?"

"The girl said she hoped he would be all right because he seemed like such a nice guy. Emma, I'm sure you know that sometimes JT will talk to customers after a movie. Ask them what they thought of it and if they had a good time."

"Yes. I've seen him do so a couple of times."

"Well," Ellie continued, "this person explained how a week or so ago she had seen another film there. 'Garden Party' I think was the name."

"JT thought that was a lousy movie," Emma remarked. "But he said it was getting good reviews in the indie press, so he was showing it against his better judgment."

"Apparently, the time this girl was there, JT asked people afterwards as they were exiting into the lobby what they thought. Reactions were mixed, so he confessed that he didn't like it either and offered a deal. He'd refund the money from their tickets, or they could stick around and he'd give them an alternate version of the film."

"An alternate version?" Emma asked.

"From what I heard this girl say, JT basically put on a 15-minute one-man show right there in the lobby, re-enacting several scenes, including the ending. Acting out several characters, but improvising dialogue. Changing it to something he thought would have made for a better film. The customers loved it."

"And he made sure nobody left his theater feeling like they had a rotten time," Emma added. She smiled, imagining JT's impromptu performance for the crowd. "That sounds very much like something he would do."

"That's how I knew that she could only be describing JT as the one who got hurt," Ellie said. "Knowing this was the closest hospital, I called and found out he'd been admitted. So I came right over. Did the awful creature who did this to JT last night get away with much money?"

"This wasn't a robbery gone bad," Emma corrected. "It was very much a personal attack."

Though this now gave Ellie further questions she felt like asking, she decided not to pursue the matter with Emma.

"For the record, Ellie, even though I don't like you – and I'm certain the feeling is entirely mutual – none of that matters at a time like this. Several of JT's good friends have been here. I'm not going to object if you choose to be here, too. I'm supportive of anything and anyone able to keep JT's spirits up. We don't have to approve of one another to agree on that point."

Emma said nothing further. Instead, she sat still and rested her eyes. Ellie also said nothing else, but for once she was in full agreement with Emma.

The two young women had different styles. Different personalities. Different ways of trying to inform the public about important issues. Different beliefs on what those important issues should be. It had never been a surprise to Ellie that they didn't get along. Some people, she felt, are probably always meant to clash in one way or another.

However, on this morning Ellie looked over at Emma. She saw someone who had obviously been at the hospital all night without much – if any – sleep. Someone prepared to be strong but who, at the moment, was looking more vulnerable than Ellie had ever seen her. Someone who was openly putting JT's feelings ahead of her own when it came to dealing with a friend of his that she greatly disliked. Ellie felt like, for the first time, she had seen a glimpse of the woman JT was so often praising.

Ellie still didn't like her. Of this, she was certain. But she agreed with Emma's sentiment that such personal feelings didn't seem to matter at the moment.

As the two sat in silence, Sean and Manny, meanwhile, were sitting at a table downstairs in the cafeteria, having just completed breakfast.

"You really think it was a good idea letting Liberty go to the gift shop alone?" Sean asked.

"What's the problem?" Manny questioned.

"I can just see her walking past all the good stuff in there and zeroing in on stationary."

"Don't worry. I'm sure she'll get balloons, just like we talked about before the three of us put our money together. Anyway, I figured it would be good for her to be the one to go get the gift. Maybe it'll lift her spirits a tiny bit. Think about it…JT got attacked AND her boyfriend – or rather her ex-boyfriend – treated her like crap. All in the same night."

"And what about you?" Sean wondered.

"Me?"

"This whole time, you've been calmer than any of us. Helping keep the rest of us from losing it. I know you can be tough, Manny, but the way you've kept it together…"

"Me, JT and Emma…we've known each other for what seems like forever. I know in the last few years there were a lot of times when I wasn't very good to either one of them."

"That's all in the past," Sean interjected. "They never bring up all that stuff. Neither should you."

"I know. All I'm saying is…at a time when they're dealing with so much, I can be strong enough now that they can count on me. And being able to be there for them, and you – and Liberty, too, for that matter – also helps me in getting through all of this."

"They know you're there for them, Manny. And I know."

"Besides," Manny smiled, "wasn't I right about JT being too stubborn not to survive?"

Sean laughed.

"Yeah, you called it."

"And if JT's doctors and nurses are anything like the ones I've seen up in Pediatrics," she added, "then he's getting great care."

"Pediatrics?"

Manny hadn't expected to make the reference, but quickly realized she felt comfortable sharing a special memory.

"Sean, for awhile after the miscarriage…You see, that was a time when I wasn't on the best of terms with either Emma or JT. Nothing bitter on their part or anything, just…nothing. And Craig was trying to be kind, but I felt guilty about losing the baby. I didn't want to talk to him about the things going on in my head.

"So at least a couple times a week after school, I'd come here. On the fifth floor, there's a window where you can look in and see some of the newborns. Nurses were often checking on them. Sometimes talking to them. I spent a lot of time at that window. I'd look in at all of those little faces and I'd wonder about what my baby would have been like. Boy or girl? Calm or constantly crying? Would he…or she…know how much love I would give, and that despite being so young myself, there's nothing I wouldn't have done for him or her?

"This went on for weeks. Craig and I ended things during that time. Later on, we were able to become just friends. But at the time, I was so busy thinking about 'What if' that he was an unwelcome distraction. Anyway, little by little it got easier to get past the loss. Not to forget, but not to obsess about it. And I didn't need to be at that window anymore.

"I know coming here like that must sound crazy. But I wasn't crazy. At least I don't think so. It was just something I needed to do."

Manny then looked down at her watch and quickly stood up.

"We've been down here for awhile. I'm going to get back in the line and get some stuff for Em. Some of that fruit salad. Maybe a biscuit, too."

"He would have known," Sean spoke up before she could turn away.

"What?" Manny asked, confused.

"Or she would have – if it had been a girl," Sean continued. "Known how much love you'd give, that is. There's no way any kid of yours wouldn't have been able to tell that. And you'll get that chance again someday to prove it. I know it."

Beaming, Manny reached down and kissed Sean. She knew that he really understood her, just like she had come to understand him.

"You're the only one I've ever told about my coming here back then," she then admitted. "Not Craig or JT or Emma or anyone. Only you."

Upstairs, Ellie walked toward JT's room soon after the police had left. Approaching the open door, she looked in and saw him lying in the bed. He had his right hand up covering his eyes. She could tell by the lack of sound that he wasn't crying or having some sort of panic attack. She felt that more than likely he had just simply – and quite understandably – had enough following the police questioning.

Ellie so wanted to step inside that room. She knew she could put a smile on his face and take his mind off his troubles. She knew they could have a nice long talk as they had many times before.

She also knew – being completely honest with herself – that what he needed right then wasn't his friend Ellie Nash. She knew that what JT needed most at that moment was only going to come from the blonde sitting in the nearby room.

Shortly thereafter, Emma was surprised for the second time that morning by Ellie's presence at the waiting room doorway.

"That was quick," Emma commented. "Believe it or not, I wasn't timing you. There was no rush."

"I didn't go in."

"Oh?"

"Thanks for the chance. But right now I don't need to be in there."

Emma grew concerned.

"Did something happen? Is he…?"

"No. It's nothing like that. I…I just know he'll feel a lot more comfortable right now if you're in there with him. I'm sure he'll feel more up to a visit from a friend some other time."

Emma wasn't sure what to make of this.

"Now what I CAN do," Ellie added, "is finish compiling the information JT had asked me about the other day."

"Right," Emma remarked. "He told me he'd asked your help with demographics info regarding commercials. I know he will appreciate whatever help you can give."

"Yeah, well I should get going."

"I'll tell JT you stopped by and that you'll come back soon. Maybe tomorrow?"

"If he feels up to it. I don't want to be in the way."

Emma said nothing, but then reached into her purse in the next seat and pulled out a pen and a piece of scratch paper. She quickly wrote something on the paper, then stood up and offered the paper to Ellie.

"The number to my cell. If you're wondering when would be the best time to visit, feel free to call me. That should help make things easier."

"You're sure you want me to have this?" Ellie asked as she slowly took the paper from Emma.

"I'm sure that you're a concerned friend of JT's. We can return to despising one another in a few days."

Ellie almost smiled but caught herself and instead simply nodded.

As Ellie walked toward the elevators, Emma went to go see JT. At the doorway, she could see that he was now simply staring up at the ceiling.

"JT?" she called to him quietly from the door.

"It's all done," he said plainly. "I answered all the questions. Went over everything that I remember happening last night. Signed some papers. The works."

"Any word on if they found Jay yet?" Emma asked as she walked into the room.

"Just that he hadn't shown up back at his place last night."

"Oh, Ellie Nash stopped by while you were making your statement."

"You two were in the same room? Good thing we're in a hospital."

"Fear not, my love," she said, rolling her eyes as she took her seat beside his bed. "We kept things peaceful. Purely a temporary peace, but it seemed like the right thing to do. She'll come back again tomorrow when there's time for a real visit."

"That's nice. I'm sorry I didn't get to say Hello, but it's just as well. Right now, I…"

"What is it?" Emma asked, noticing how troubled he looked.

JT reached out his right hand in her direction, and she gladly took hold of it.

"Tell me that I'm going to feel like myself again," he requested. "That this pain is going to go away. That I'll stop feeling afraid every time I hear footsteps outside my room. Then maybe I'll feel like everything's going to be okay. Because if you tell me, I know for sure it'll be true."

Emma then leaned forward in her chair and rested her head beside JT's on the pillow so that they were touching.

"All of those things, and so much more," she told him. "I promise."

Meanwhile, having managed to eventually find his way home, Jay got out of his car. He slowly walked from the parking lot until he was in front of his apartment door. As he put his door key into the lock, he didn't notice two men come up behind him.

"Jason Hogart?" one of the men spoke.

"Who wants to know?" he asked, annoyed and refusing to turn around.

"Police," the other officer identified.

"I'm hung-over, not drunk. If you think there was something wrong with my driving, you're full of it. So go bug somebody else."

"That's not why we're here," the second officer said as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "We're going to need you to come with us."

Jay turned around and saw the two officers facing him.

"I told her we should have stayed in bed today."


	56. Lunch Hour

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note:** The usual disclaimers apply.

****

Chapter 56 - Lunch Hour

Carrying a brown paper bag, Liberty walked down the hallway of The Movie Difference toward JT's office just after noon on Friday. As she reached the office, she could see Spinner inside on the telephone with his back to the door. Rather than sitting behind the desk, he was seated in one of two chairs in front of the desk. In the other chair was a stack of papers.

"Yeah, I know you always deal with Mr. Yorke," she heard Spinner say. "Like I said, he's out today. But I can… No, he's gonna be out all next week, too. He's a busy guy, you know, and… No, I'm not saying he's too busy to talk to you. Look dude…err, I mean sir…I've got everything under control here. You just tell me what you're wanting to do, I'll talk to Mr. Yorke this weekend and call you back Monday. Okay. Good. I'll get back to you. Bye."

Spinner then hung up the phone and took a deep breath.

"You handled that well," Liberty remarked.

Surprised, Spinner turned around and saw Liberty standing just inside the room.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" he asked.

"No, I was being serious, not sarcastic," she clarified, walking further into the office.

"Oh. Thanks. Survived another phone call. I think."

"At least based on hearing this side of the call," she continued, hoping to encourage him, "it sounded like you didn't lose control of the conversation."

"Maybe. Hi, by the way."

"Hello Gavin."

Spinner moved the stack of papers from the other chair to a free area of the desk then pointed to the chair.

"When I was talking with JT yesterday," Liberty said as she sat down beside Spinner, "he mentioned that he had asked you to assist him while he was…away."

"Yeah," he replied. "Yesterday morning. I told the others who came back to work today not to get mad that he asked me to help out because he must be all high on painkillers if he really thought I could do this."

"Nonsense," she interjected. "Sure, there are people who have worked here longer and could handle things, but JT is feeling very vulnerable right now and you're someone close that he trusts. He can concentrate on getting well knowing that you're minding the store, so to speak. How are things going?"

"Today we're back in business," Spinner explained. "But the main thing yesterday was answering phone calls, getting the bills mailed out and canceling a bunch of meetings he was supposed to have yesterday and today. And I had to do something about this room. Papers and stuff was all over the floor. And there was…you know…on the carpet."

"Blood?" Liberty asked softly.

"Yeah. I think I got it all up. That's the last thing JT needs to see when he gets back."

Liberty nodded. Though such thoughts were unavoidable, neither of them was comfortable considering all that happened in this room two days earlier.

"And that phone call a moment ago?" she asked following several moments of silence.

"A supplier," he answered. "Only wanted to deal with JT. And JT didn't want me telling folks that he's in the hospital."

"Why not?"

"Some dumb idea JT's got that people won't do business with him if they know he got hurt here. Reality is that he must be the only one who can talk these folks into doing things the way he wants. I don't know how he does it. I know they're not listening to anything I tell them."

"I'm sure everything is going better than you think," she said.

"See, Liberty, I had a lot of jobs after The Dot burned down. None of them lasted. And I'm not dumb – I know JT was taking a chance hiring me. I wanted to make this one work out. And it's gone okay these last few weeks. I haven't screwed up. But all this happened. And yesterday I agreed to help with this office stuff. And now I don't know what the hell I'm doing half the time. AND it's only been one day."

"Did you do everything JT specifically asked of you?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Then don't worry. You've accomplished what was absolutely necessary. Just keep doing your best with the rest. I'm sure that's all JT wants."

"I guess," Spinner said, not entirely convinced but ready to change the subject. "Anyway, what's up?"

"I've got a few items in here," Liberty answered, looking down at the bag in her lap. "Several CDs and DVDs belonging to the ex who shall remain nameless. These are things that, over the course of our relationship, were left at my house. Unless he wants to start paying me a storage fee, I don't want any of his belongings taking up space in my home.

"I saw his car parked at Ryan's a short time ago, so I knew he wouldn't be here now. That's not to say I intend to go out of my way to avoid him, but I'm just not ready for casual public dealings with him. So, I thought I'd leave these things here. I don't know if there are individual employee lockers here, or if you want to simply dump them in a Lost and Found box. I just want to be rid of it all."

"No problem," Spinner said. "You're being real cool about it. I mean, after me and Paige split last year, I think she tossed out whatever stuff of mine she found that was still over at her place. Who knows? Maybe she burned it. I just know I never got it back before she left for university. Hey, if you want, go around and put that stuff in the desk. I don't think he's coming back before JT does."

"Oh?"

"He called over here yesterday to find out what the plan was. When he found out I was covering for JT, he started this lame fake coughing. Said he'd be too sick to work here for a few days."

"Probably pouting about not being asked to take over," Liberty commented. "Plus, he was less than thrilled when he first learned JT had hired you, so I'm certain he's unwilling to take even the simplest of direction from you. By the way, why are you sitting on this side of JT's desk as opposed to behind it?"

"His office. His desk. I'm just helping out, not taking his spot. That sound too stupid?"

"No," Liberty replied, impressed. "Not stupid in the least. Do you think there's room in the desk for these things? It's not much, but it might be in the way."

"I don't know. I haven't had to get anything out of the drawers."

Liberty walked back behind the desk and pulled open the top drawer. As Spinner continued to talk, she was surprised at what she saw in the compartment.

"Pens, papers, nameplate, that picture of Emma Nelson, the phone…it was all still on the floor yesterday morning. I just put everything on the desk. Whatever I don't have to use I'll leave there for him to sort out when he gets back."

When Liberty didn't say anything, Spinner looked over at her and saw the shocked look on her face.

"What is it?" he asked.

Liberty looked up at Spinner and then back down at the open drawer.

"After the events of the last several days," she finally spoke up, "I didn't expect anything else could startle me this week."

She then lifted up what she had discovered. It was the small box holding the ring JT intended for Emma.

* * *

Several miles away at Memorial Hospital, JT was sitting up in bed with a lunch tray on his lap. He stared down at the tray, looking troubled. His thoughts, however, were interrupted by a knock to the open door. He looked up and found Ellie standing in the doorway.

"Feel up to a little visit?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied. Though he didn't smile, he was relieved to see another friendly face. "Come on in."

"I spoke to Emma on the phone earlier today," Ellie explained as she entered the room. "She said she had some things to take care of and that if I was free around lunch time, it might be a good time to come by."

"She was right."

"How are you feeling, JT?" she asked as she walked toward his bedside.

"Let's see…a psychotic deadbeat cut me open just for kicks and almost killed me," he replied coldly. "How do you think I'm feeling?"

Almost immediately after the words came out, JT realized how he sounded. He hadn't meant to snap at her.

"I'm sorry, Ellie," he said. "It's not you. I'm glad you came over to visit. I'm just in a mood today. Doctors and nurses were in and out of here this morning, all of them asking me how I'm feeling while they're busy poking around and making me feel worse. I'm just so tired of all of this."

"No apologies necessary, JT," Ellie said gently. "You didn't offend me…or even surprise me. If you were your usual upbeat self this soon after all you've been through, THEN I'd be alarmed. We can talk about a million other things besides your condition."

JT was glad to see that she wasn't mad.

"No," he said, sounding and feeling calmer. "I want to tell you, so you're not stuck guessing. Actually, I'm feeling better today than I did yesterday. Just not as good as I want to be."

"You expected to be doing cartwheels by now?" she questioned him as she sat down in the chair to his right.

JT shrugged.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" she then asked.

"The area where I got…well, the stitched up area…it's starting to swell up. The doctor said that's normal and won't stay like that for too long. But for now, it just hurts like crazy, especially when I take a deep breath. Guess you could say that's another reason for my less-than-sunny disposition."

"I am so sorry this happened," Ellie said. "The person that did this to you…do you know if he's still out there somewhere?"

"I was told that the police got him when he finally showed back up at his home yesterday morning," JT replied. "That's about all I know. Part of me wishes they'd fill me in on every detail. And part of me is relieved that I haven't heard anything else about the specifics so far. If it's okay, I don't want to think about him anymore right now."

Ellie noticed that JT's mood was starting to go down again.

"Of course," she responded. "You're looking good, I think. All things considered."

"It's been a lot better not being hooked to the IV. And my appetite is slowly coming back. Or at least it was until they brought this tray of…stuff…in here a few minutes ago. They call it lunch, but I have my doubts."

Ellie looked at the contents on JT's plate and could understand why he would question the legitimacy of the food.

"What's that brownish lump?" she asked.

"The nurse said it was mashed potatoes with gravy on top, but I can barely get my spoon into it. It's like a rock. Or maybe that's a shell and there's a creature hiding inside. Maybe it'll move across the plate when we're not looking.

"Now, the yellow glop next to it is allegedly creamed corn, but I think Emma could make a good case that it's something toxic. I've eaten a lot of different things in the past. Things Emma would swear could actually PUT me into a hospital. But this stuff?"

"Take my advice," Ellie offered. "Stick to the jello. Even they can't mess that up. Um…that's assuming that the blue stuff next to the alleged corn IS jello."

"It is," JT said. "It's moving around, but in a very jello-like way. You're right that's it's probably my safest bet."

"So aside from the disgusting nature of the food, it looks like they've otherwise been taking good care of you."

"That's true enough," he agreed.

"I see you've even got some decorations in here," she said, pointing toward the bunch of mylar balloons tied to the table to JT's left. 'Get Well Soon' was written on each.

"Yeah, aren't they great?" JT said with an increased enthusiasm. "Liberty, Sean and Manny brought those in here yesterday."

Ellie was relieved to see that, for the first time since she arrived, JT was smiling.

"Any idea when you get to leave this place?"

"I bet they'd like to keep me here through the weekend, but I'm pushing them to let me get out of here tomorrow. I think I have them convinced I'll be fine. But I'm sure they're going to want to poke around some more and run all sorts of silly tests first to make sure it's okay for me to go."

"JT, I hope you don't expect to be up and around like normal right away just because you won't be in here. You're going to have to do something you normally don't do – take things slow."

"No worries," JT said. "Everyone from doctors to nurses to Emma has been saying that I'm still going to need to rest and take it easy for awhile. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have a few days to just rest and relax."

"But it's not the same when you're forced to," Ellie added.

"Yeah, my mind is telling me it's time to get back to all the things I've got going on. To pick up where I left off on Wednesday. My body disagrees."

"It still needs more time to heal."

"I just hope it's not going to take too much time."

Ellie nodded. Though it pleased her to see that some of JT's usual positive attitude was returning, she continued to notice how he seemed slightly on edge. To her, it appeared as though he was having trouble finding his comfort zone. She knew that all of this was understandable given what he had been through. Still, it was her hope that her friend can have as much success weathering the emotional aspects of this trauma as he has with the physical.

The young woman cared a great deal for JT and their friendship. In a way she was now relieved that she'd never admitted the occasional thoughts she'd had about him. She was sure that nothing would have come of such a revelation except a likely strain to their friendship. Especially after the events of this week, she was just happy he was alive and that she was still able to have conversations with him.

And though she wouldn't have believed it even a few days earlier, Ellie actually found herself believing that Emma was likely the best person to help get JT through this time of recovery."

"I think it's time to put this food somewhere else and hope it finds its own way to the elevator," JT announced, interrupting Ellie's thoughts.

"Let me get that out of your way," Ellie said. She then took the tray and placed it on the floor beside her chair and out of JT's line of vision.

"So tell me, Ellie Nash, what's new with you? And keep in mind that I'm low on energy. So if you feel like making something up that's extra exciting in order to keep me awake – even though it's a total lie – I won't hold it against you."

Ellie saw that JT was smirking and she couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Several days after JT's mother's death, Emma had suggested that JT have a copy of his house key made. She thought it would be a good idea if she kept this spare key just in case he ever accidentally lost his. That was over a year ago. Now, his key, wallet and other personal items were at the hospital. Just after noon on this particular Friday, Emma stood at the doorstep to the Yorke house. This would be the first time she's ever used her key.

Though she didn't like to be away from the hospital for very long, Emma knew there were things that needed to be done. She wanted to pick up the mail as well as make sure there were no urgent messages on his answering machine. She also needed to get a change of clothes for JT. It was possible that he would be able to leave the hospital on Saturday. But regardless of the day, the clothes he was wearing at the time of the assault were ruined, so this was as good a time as any to make sure he had something to put on when the time came to check out.

As Emma entered the house, she noticed how cold and desolate the place seemed without JT in it. Sure, she'd been alone in these rooms before. One time she'd even dozed off on his bed while he was out buying groceries. But this time was different. Right now, JT was in a bed several miles away. And until his release, Emma felt uncomfortable and out of sorts when she was anywhere other than at the hospital.

There was plenty of mail, but most of it was junk. She figured that most of his important mail goes directly to TMD. Still, Emma knew JT liked his junk mail. He could usually find something about the various ads and notices that he deemed worthy of humorous ridicule. Thus, she left everything in a stack on the bar. Emma decided she would check the answering machine later. Right now, it was time to pick out some clothes.

Walking into the bedroom, she noticed the unmade bed. Then she remembered that he had started his day early that Wednesday morning so he could go to the cemetery before work. For the first time, it occurred to her that his day had begun in a place for the dead and ended with his own near-death. She quickly tried to put that morbid coincidence out of her mind as she proceeded to make up his bed.

Afterward, she opened up his closet. As she tried to pick out a shirt, she spotted something up on the shelf toward the back. Hats. Probably half a dozen. Emma wasn't surprised to find them, though. She knew that JT was never one to get rid of anything. She recalled how, around the time they first entered Degrassi, JT started wearing hats more often than not. By Grade 9, however, he'd stopped wearing them and, instead, went through what Emma liked to teasingly refer to as his "unfortunate big hair phase". She smiled as she remembered being glad when, after months of this, he decided on some middle ground between the short haircut of his younger days and the out-of-control look he had adopted for awhile.

Her thoughts soon returned to present-day and the joy she felt that he was all right and would soon get to come home. However, the thought of how close she came to losing him still hit hard. She knew she would never forget the feelings of panic and terror that filled her two nights earlier.

Emma soon selected a shirt and started to shut the closet door, but then she stopped. Reaching back into the closet, she pulled out one of JT's old hats. She placed the dark green object on her head and then with both arms she held his shirt tightly against her body, wishing that it was JT that she was holding onto at that moment.

* * *

Back at TMD, Spinner watched as Liberty opened the box, revealing the ring inside.

"Nice rock," he observed. "A lot fancier looking than those plastic ones you find as prizes in the candy boxes."

"I knew something like this was inevitable some day," Liberty said, "I even said as much to Emma more than once. But I had no idea JT was already thinking along those lines."

"JT? Why do you think it's his? Could be that somebody lost it and he was storing it in there until…"

Spinner stopped, suddenly remembering how he caught JT looking at the box Wednesday evening. He recalled that when he entered the room, JT quickly put the box into the desk and wouldn't even give a hint about what it was. Only that he would be taking it home that night.

"Never mind," Spinner then said. "Yeah, that's his all right."

He noticed the sad expression on Liberty's face.

"You okay?" he asked. He knew she wasn't, but those were the only words that came to his mind to say right then.

She placed the box on the desk and then looked across the room, focusing her attention on the carpet and picturing the blood that had been there.

"How could someone come in here and do that to him? He has his faults like anybody else, but he's one of the good ones. Things like this aren't supposed to happen to good people. I suppose that makes me sound naïve, but it's what I believe. To think that JT had this secret that he was undoubtedly very excited about…this offer that he couldn't wait to make to Emma…and then he very nearly lost the opportunity. Very nearly lost everything."

Liberty took a deep breath.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "It's just been a very difficult week. I'd better stop. If I keep this up, I might start crying. That's not something I do…at least not in front of anyone."

Spinner was then surprised when she suddenly let out a slight laugh.

"Do you realize, if Pa-…if the ex who shall remain nameless…if we were still together right now, he'd mistakenly assume I was upset by the idea that JT wants to propose to Emma and not to me. You saw for yourself the other night. He'd never believe that my seeing this ring brings to mind all that was almost lost, and how good it is that JT's still here among us and will still have the chance to make that proposal to the one he loves."

"Well, you brought his crap back for him," Spinner remarked, "so you don't have to think about Mr. Nameless anymore. If he didn't get what you were about after however long you two were together, to hell with him."

"Coarse wording," Liberty responded, "but you're absolutely right."

"Think one of us ought to take this box over to JT?" he asked.

"No. I don't think we should even mention the fact that we found it. Let's leave it in the drawer. When he's ready, it'll be right where he left it."

Liberty placed the ring box back in the top drawer. Then, not wanting Patrick's belongings in the same compartment as JT's ring, she removed the various items from the bag and put them in the bottom left drawer. She then put the empty bag in the trash can in the nearby corner

"All right," she said, once more looking over at Spinner. "I've accomplished what I set out to do. Also, you seem to have things here running smoothly enough given the circumstances. I should be on my way."

"Had lunch yet?" Spinner asked.

"No," she replied, surprised by the question.

"Now that the phone's stopped ringing for awhile, I'm calling Lem Sung's to place a delivery order. If you like Chinese and wanna stick around awhile…"

"Sure," Liberty answered with a slight smile. "I think I'd like that."

* * *

Later, with clothes in one hand, Emma locked the front door to JT's house with her other hand. She then put everything in her car and was soon backing out of the driveway. As she left, she was unaware that in a parked car across the street from the house, someone had watched her leave.


	57. Homeward Bound

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Note: **The usual disclaimers apply.

****

Chapter 57 - Homeward Bound

Saturday morning at the Nelson-Simpson home found Snake and his best friend Joey sitting in the kitchen eating doughnuts.

"I'm telling you, Snake, days like this come few and far between."

"Saturdays? And all this time I thought we got one of them each week."

"I mean days of complete and total freedom," Joey clarified. "I don't have to be at the lot today. Angie's spending the weekend with her grandmother. Caitlin's working overtime at the station on a special segment for next week's show. I've actually got a whole day all to myself."

"So you came over here, where the most exciting thing going on this morning is seeing how many loads of laundry I can get done during Spike's half-day down at her salon."

"Well…yes. But I brought breakfast. Regular doughnuts AND filled."

"The excitement never ends with you, Jeremiah," Snake joked.

"It's always been that way," Joey answered proudly. "Always will be."

"Joey, one of these days you're finally going to admit just how much you love domestic life, and how bored you get when you're left by yourself."

"Such an outrageous accusation," Joey responded, pretending to sound offended. "Okay, and a completely true accusation, but still… By the way, did I tell you I'm shooting another commercial next weekend?"

"You're not going to ride that elephant around the car lot again in this one, are you?" Snake questioned.

"No. This time we'll have scantily-clad young models draped over the cars as I describe all the wonderful deals."

"But draped over the cars in only the most tasteful of ways, right?" Snaked asked, rolling his eyes.

"I know it sounds clichéd," Joey admitted. "But it draws in the customers like you wouldn't believe."

"Oh, the sacrifices one must make for customer satisfaction," Snake said sarcastically.

Moments later they heard Jack calling for his father from upstairs.

"I'll be right back," Snake said as he stood up from his chair. "And hands off the chocolate filled. That one's mine."

Joey continued eating while Snake was gone. After about a minute, there was a knock at the front door. Leaving the kitchen, Joey walked into the living room and toward the door."

"I got it," Joey shouted upstairs.

He then opened the door to find a middle-aged man with dark brown hair standing outside and looking impatient.

"Can I help you?" Joey asked.

"Perhaps," the man responded. "Is this still the home of the teacher, the hair cutter and the overly talkative blonde girl?"

"Uh…just a moment," Joey answered.

Puzzled, Joey turned around to face the stairway.

"Snake, I think you'll want to come down for this!"

"Be right there," Snake's voice could be heard saying.

Soon he started back down the stairs.

"Jack just needed some new batteries for his…"

Snake stopped talking once he was on the bottom step and noticed the man next to Joey at the door.

"Mr. Yorke," he said, sounding surprised. "You're back in town."

"Brilliant deduction," Nathaniel Yorke said dryly. "It's so comforting to know that you're an educator."

Meanwhile at Memorial Hospital, JT was fully dressed and sitting on the edge of his bed with Emma sitting beside him to his left.

"Hard to believe I'm finally getting out of here," JT commented. "That is, if they ever finish getting all my release paperwork together."

"Probably just a few more minutes," Emma responded. "I'm sure they're still taking care of all the insurance matters. Don't worry. It won't be much longer, and then at long last I can take you home."

"Worry? Me? You know better than that. I'm cool as a cucumber."

Regardless of what he'd just said and how confident he tried to sound, JT felt like a bundle of nerves.

"Hey, that reminds me…" JT then said, putting a smile on his face, "Emma, you're the veggie expert. How did it ever get to be 'cool as a cucumber' anyway? What's so special about a cucumber that it gets to be part of a famous expression? Why not 'cool as a carrot' or even 'cool as a cantaloupe?' Now that one has a nice ring to it."

Emma smiled as she looked into his eyes. Without looking away, she then took his left hand in her right one.

"Do me a favor, Jamie, and relax," she said gently.

"I'm not relaxed? Me? You know better that that. I'm as…um, well…"

"James Tiberius Yorke…need I remind you that you can't fool me?" Emma asked.

JT looked confused.

"Sure, you're unpredictable and often full of surprises," she continued, "but you also can't fool me. I know you, and I know your moods. All morning you've been trying just a little too hard with the joking. You've been ready to get out of here since Wednesday night, but now it's time and…I know you're nervous. Uncertain."

"I never could fool you, Emma," he said, starting to sound less anxious. "You DO know me…backwards and forwards and probably sideways. Always have."

"Trust me," Emma remarked, "it's a mutual thing."

"It's just that I feel ready one minute, but the next… That was MY place, Emma. My business. My office. My…"

JT placed his right hand lightly on the part of his shirt covering his stomach.

"And he…"

Emma waited until she realized that JT wasn't going to finish his sentence.

"Jay's gone now," she said. "He's not going to show up around the corner or at the house or at work. I think it's safe to say he's not going anywhere except a prison cell.

"I know that doesn't eliminate all the anxiety. Still, you've got a week of resting and mending ahead of you and then you'll be back doing all the things you normally do. Everything's going to work out."

"Emma, there's still one thing that's not right. Something that's been missing for days. And you're the only one who can help me out with it."

"What is it?" Emma asked curiously.

JT, removing his hand from hers, held his arms open. Emma immediately understood and wanted to comply, but she was hesitant.

"Is it safe to hug you?" she questioned.

JT laughed.

"After all this time, if you're still not sure about that, you're more mixed up than I am."

"I'm serious, JT. I don't want to hug too tight and hurt you."

"Do me a favor, angel, and relax," he said gently.

"Turning my own words back on me? You ARE getting better."

"Enough talk. Hug me to your arms' content. Trust me, Emma, I'll let you know if it's too much."

Still seated, they slowly moved even closer together, and soon they had their arms around one another for the first time since he was hurt. Emma was pleased to notice that JT's body, which was initially tensed up, relaxed soon after they were in contact. She still wondered if she was pressing too tight, but decided to trust that JT would indeed let her know if there was a problem. If there was any pain, though, JT didn't notice. He was sure that this was the most comfortable he had felt in days. They remained like this for several minutes, neither one in any hurry to let go.

Back at Emma's house, Snake invited his unexpected guest in and shut the door.

"It's been awhile," Snake said as the three men stood just inside the doorway. "I'm guessing that you must have somehow heard about what happened to…"

"I'm back in town on business," Yorke interrupted.

"Oh."

"You see, I heard about this new case. Seems that a few days ago, one young man felt he needed to stab another young man. Supposedly it was self-defense, yet he's now being brought up on charges. While criminal law isn't my specialty, I was intrigued and decided to volunteer my services to the accused."

Snake and Joey looked at one another in disbelief at the notion that this man would choose to defend his son's attacker.

"But I kid," Yorke then added, starting to smile. "Had you going there for a moment, didn't I?"

Snake was unimpressed but decided against commenting on the elder Yorke's choice of humorous material.

"Maybe I should have contacted you personally, Mr. Yorke. I had thought of calling you about JT, but…"

"Don't worry about it. I still have some friends on the police force in this area. One of them knew about the case and called me, wondering if the James Yorke involved was the same one that is my…the same one that's related."

Yorke's change in wording didn't escape Snake's notice, but the teacher still thought it best to focus on what he considered a positive move on the attorney's part.

"I think it's good that you've decided to put aside whatever differences exist between you and JT, and that you've come back to check on him. We're expecting that he'll get to leave the hospital today, but I'm sure there's still time for you to go over there right now and see him."

"I don't think so," Yorke said decisively.

"If you're concerned about JT's reaction…"

"I've been in town since yesterday," Yorke explained. "If I'd wanted to see him, I would have."

"Hey, if you're not planning to go to the hospital," Joey interjected, "then why did you bother to come back?"

Yorke then looked over at the man who had greeted him at the door.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Yorke asked in a dismissive tone. "The butler?"

"This is my friend, Joey Jeremiah," Snake interceded. "Joey, this is Nathaniel Yorke, JT's father."

"But don't hold that against me," the man joked.

"We actually met once, briefly, a few years ago," Joey remarked. "It was that night when…"

"Please," Yorke interrupted, "meeting me may have been a high point in your life, but let's not waste time on your reminiscences right now."

"Joey's question is a valid one," Snake said, trying to bring the discussion back on topic. "Since you're here, why wouldn't you go to the hospital, even for a moment?"

"Such a visit would serve no purpose," Yorke answered. "On the other hand, I DID drive over to check on my house yesterday. Remarkably, it still appears to be in good condition. Although as I arrived, I could see your step-daughter leaving with various items in hand. Normally, I'd worry about theft, but considering that I no longer have any personal belongings inside, there's no point in me being concerned about what she's taking."

"Emma was getting some clothes together for JT," Snake clarified, struggling to remain civil.

"Ah. Still together. I wouldn't have given that relationship six months. Then again, I was already surprised to discover that James has owned that little business for several months now yet so far he hasn't found some way to ruin it. Will wonders never cease?"

"Maybe we should all go to the kitchen and sit down," Joey suggested, hoping to prevent the increasingly heated conversation from getting uglier. "There's food. Coffee. Neutral corners."

"Okay, Mr. Yorke," Snake spoke up, ignoring Joey's efforts. "It's clear that I was wrong to think that this terrible circumstance might give you some sort of positive interest in your son and his well-being. I had hoped you would realize that no matter what's happened in the past, you are still JT's father."

"Merely in a legal sense. He made it quite clear during my last visit that I wasn't the kind of father he wanted."

"Your interpretation of things doesn't seem to fit with the reality that, to you, fatherhood was never more than an unwelcome intrusion," Snake countered. "A role to be avoided at all costs."

"While it IS true that I was never cut out for day-to-day father-son interaction, there was still a connection between us. In the end, though, he chose the girl over me and family loyalty."

"Yeah, I know all about that choice. That was a choice JT never should have been put in a position to have to make. By the way, consider yourself lucky I'm being so civil. I haven't forgotten how you tried to discredit my daughter during all of that."

"Step-daughter," Yorke corrected.

"Excuse me?"

"As I recall, your only connection to the Nelson girl is that you married her mother."

"Just stop right there," Snake warned, growing angry.

"Now don't get offended. I'm not criticizing. Simply keeping to the facts."

"Well as long as we're striving for accuracy, Mr. Yorke, you should know that, for me, Emma is my daughter in every way that matters."

"I'm happy for you," Yorke said sarcastically. "Unimpressed. But happy for you."

"I also happen to care a great deal about JT and what happens to him," Snake continued without hesitation. "And big-time attorney or not, I strongly advise you to watch what you say from here on out, because I won't put up with you disrespecting either of them while you're in my home."

Joey watched as the other two men looked at one another in silence. He could easily feel the tension and wondered who would make the next move – as well as what that move would be.

"All of this…" Yorke finally spoke up, refusing to back down, but now with slightly less harshness in his voice, "it's beside the point. I am indeed interested – at least somewhat – or I wouldn't have returned. But rather than waste time on unproductive hospital visits, I chose to do something constructive. I came back to see how strong the case was against the man who put him in the hospital."

"And?" Joey asked.

"I wanted to make sure that the police are doing everything possible to clear the case. It turns out, I didn't have much to be concerned about. The situation is far from complicated. I'm told that detectives have spent a fair amount of time talking to this Hogart person since taking him into custody. Whether it's ego or outright stupidity, this simpleton has shown little ability in being able to disguise the fact that he was responsible. The police even have statements from two people saying this guy was basically bragging to them about his actions within minutes of the attack."

"That would be Sean Cameron and Manny Santos, two of JT's friends," Snake explained.

"There's also the fact that James survived the encounter and was able to give a statement the day after the incident. Now if you put James and Hogart side by side in a courtroom, even the most slow-witted judge wouldn't have difficulty deciding which one is more believable. So the police have been impressing upon Hogart the idea that he should make an official confession of his actions in order to have any hope of making a deal."

"A deal?" Snake asked in surprise. "Tell me Jay Hogart's not going to get off with some lousy slap on the wrist."

"No, I've no doubt he'll do some jail time. Hopefully quite a bit. But if he's willing to cooperate and write up what he did, there could be a relatively short hearing and sentencing – as opposed to a big trial that wastes everyone's time and doesn't do him any favors."

"That would also benefit JT," Snake reasoned. "Because just the thought of him having to sit for days in a courtroom trying to convince a judge that his attacker is truly his attacker…"

"Now as for why I came to this…house …such as it is," Yorke continued, "I decided it was likely that someone here would be able to tell me if James is receiving adequate treatment. It would certainly save me from my having to call the hospital, wasting time finding the right person to speak to and then wading through medical jargon to get basic information. You said earlier that he's probably going to leave there today. Is he honestly ready to leave?"

Snake was tempted to say nothing, not wanting to help this man in any way. However, he decided that kind of attitude would only push him closer to Yorke's level.

"JT's making a fine recovery," Snake replied. "He'll have to take it easy for a few days, but there's no reason for him to remain in the hospital."

"That's good to hear. And I suppose he still has all the money he needs. Unless of course that theater has already proven to be the bottomless money pit that I'd expect only a fool to want."

"I doubt JT would discuss his finances with you, so I certainly won't," Snake responded brusquely.

There was then an incredibly awkward silence as none of them could think of something more to say.

"Well," Yorke finally spoke up, "I suppose I've found out what I wanted, so I should leave. There are some old friends I want to visit while I'm in town, then I'll return to Winnipeg tomorrow."

"You still have no intention of seeing JT?" Snake again asked, growing angrier. "Letting him at least know you cared enough to come back and look into things?"

"What would be the point?" the attorney calmly questioned.

"You're the true fool, Yorke. JT was a good kid, and he's turned into a remarkable young man. A real man would see the value of having such a son as an ongoing part of his life. But now we've reached the point where I don't see any sense in continuing this conversation. I will never tell JT that he's better off without you in his life, but if he were to ever say it, I couldn't deny that it's absolutely true."

Yorke was ready with a comeback, but he wasn't sure he wanted to test what might happen if he pushed things further. Instead, he started to turn back around to face the door.

"As I said, my business here is complete. Good day, Cobra. Or Boa. Or whatever thing it is you call yourself."

Without another word, he opened the door and walked out, closing the door behind him.

"How do you like that guy?" Snake asked his friend as they both continued staring at the closed door. "Didn't even give me the opportunity to shut my own door. And I could have really slammed it on him, too."

"I'm surprised you didn't end up hitting him," Joey said while turning to face his friend. "There were a couple of times where it looked like you wanted to deck him."

"Yeah, and then I'd spend the next 20 years giving up my paychecks to pay for his next summer home. It was tempting, I've got to admit. But there's been more than enough violence this week. He's not worth it."

They then started walking back to the kitchen.

"Spike was right," Snake admitted. "It would have been a mistake for me to call him the other night. Sure, he's made of show of concern. Maybe he even means it. But it's not enough to get him to actually spend time in the same room with his son. Not even for a few minutes. I don't understand that mentality, and I don't think I want to."

"But you knew what the guy was like," Joey mentioned as they entered the kitchen and sat back down. "You really thought you could have created some happily ever after reunion between the two of them if you'd called him yourself?"

"I just thought it would be the right thing to do, that's all. Wouldn't you have done the same thing? Assuming that Albert Manning were still living… If there was a situation where Craig almost died, wouldn't you have tried to contact his natural father?"

"No," Joey said simply but firmly.

"But no matter how awful the man had been in the past, wouldn't…"

"No," Joey repeated. "It's like you said about Emma a few minutes ago, Snake… Craig isn't my son biologically, but he is in all the other important ways. There's no reason I'd have ever given Manning another chance to be anywhere near my son. I hated that he DID come back into Craig's life briefly. And even though I've never said this to Craig, I'm glad that the man died. That he will never have the chance to even consider disrupting my son's life again."

Snake had to let that last statement sink in for a moment. He knew Joey's feelings were entirely justified, but he wasn't accustomed to hearing his friend speak with such harshness about anyone.

"Even though Yorke showed up anyway," Snake eventually said, "I'm glad I wasn't the one responsible for his return. Joey, I've never asked you this before… When was it that you first really saw Craig as one of your own?"

"The morning after I found him in the cemetery and brought him home. No spectacular trumpets-blowing-in-the-background moment of realization. It was just obvious when he was sitting down to breakfast with me and Angie that first morning that he fit right in, as though he'd been there all along. Family."

"I'm sure it IS for the best that Yorke doesn't care enough to visit JT," Snake remarked. "That's the kind of visit that I'm guessing wouldn't fit into any doctor's idea of proper rest and relaxation."

"Snake, maybe you'd like to answer your own question."

"Which question is that?"

"How long has JT felt like one of your own?"

Early in the evening at the Yorke house, JT was lying in bed when Emma entered the bedroom to look in on him. Seeing his eyes still shut, Emma turned to leave.

"I'm not sleeping," JT called to her, having heard her footsteps.

"You should be," Emma said, turning back around. "The doctor may have let you leave this morning, but he also told you that you'd need plenty of rest."

"What I SHOULD have been doing this afternoon was sitting beside you at TMD watching an old comedy or two, like I've done every Saturday afternoon for years. Not staying here trying to take a nap like I'm an old man."

"JT…"

"I know, I know," he said as he opened his eyes and started to sit up in bed. "Don't worry. I think I slept for a little while. But how can I possibly rest when I'm in here and you're all the way out there in the livingroom?"

"If I'd been in here," she countered, "you'd just ask how you could possibly rest when I'm here in your bedroom with you."

"Uh-oh. You're on to me."

His comment made them both laugh.

"Are you getting hungry?" Emma then asked. "I can heat up some of the food Mom brought over this afternoon."

"A little later. Just come sit with me."

JT moved from the center of the bed over toward the right half as Emma entered the room, giving her room to sit down next to him.

"Emma, did I lock the door when we got in the house?" he asked her once she was sitting stretched out beside him.

"You did," she answered. "First thing."

"Good. Just making sure."

Emma simply nodded. He had asked her the same question that afternoon before going to bed, and earlier she had noticed him going to the front door on two occasions and checking to make sure it was secure. Though it was unusual for him to be so conscious about the door being locked, she felt it was an understandable reaction.

"Manny called while you were sleeping," she then revealed. "She and Sean wanted to make sure you made it out of the hospital okay, especially since you had talked them out of canceling their plans for the day in order to stay close by."

"I had to," JT responded. "They've been great, but they needed to have some time to themselves. They had plans before all this. I didn't want them putting anything off because of me."

"She said they've had a lot of fun taking the motorcycle out," Emma explained, "and they were checking in with me for an update about how things were going around here. By the way, they're still coming over tomorrow night."

"Good. It'll definitely be better than how Wednesday turned out. That wasn't exactly the kind of night the four of us had planned on."

"True. That sort of unpredictability is something I never want us to have to go through again."

"You know what's been the biggest disappointment in all of this?" JT then asked her.

"This whole situation has been like something out of a nightmare," she answered. "Your recovery's been the only bright spot. But I can't begin to imagine what you're singling out right now."

"The docs said I was unconscious for awhile that night. That they even had to use those defitricator paddles to get me breathing again."

"Defibrillator," Emma corrected. "But close enough. Thankfully the jolt did the trick."

"The thing is, I went through all that, but I didn't even get to have an out of body experience. At least not one I can remember."

"Oookay," Emma responded, not quite sure what to say.

"I'm not complaining about getting revived really fast," he quickly added. "I just think it would have been interesting. You've heard those stories where people have a few minutes to…I don't know…float around. See stuff. Find out something important that they never knew. Then when they're back in their bodies and awake, they still remember what happened. Nothing like that happened to me.

"At first I thought it was going to happen, because for awhile I remember it being real dark. I couldn't make out anything. I wasn't even sure where I was. Then I started to see this white light in the distance. It started getting closer and closer. Then I started to hear this voice from above calling my name. Real faint at first, but then it got louder and clearer as the light got closer.

"But it turned out to be one of the doctors shining a light in my eyes. I was starting to wake up and he was seeing if I could answer to the sound of my name."

"Can't say I'm too sorry you missed out on your exploration," Emma said. "Who knows? Maybe you would have enjoyed being out of your body and then not want to come back."

"And leave you behind? Not a chance."

Emma smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"That's also how I know I wouldn't have died," JT continued. "You think God would've wanted to hear me complaining every day about how bored I am up there without you?"

"You are so silly sometimes," she said, laughing. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Just keep loving me," he answered. "And don't worry. I'd never float away from you."

Later on that night, Nathaniel Yorke was driving his rental car back to his hotel following dinner with old acquaintances. He hated the thought of spending the remainder of the night alone and was sorry that his latest "friend" had been unable to accompany him on this trip to Toronto. While he wasn't paying much attention when she mentioned specific details, he did recall her saying something about it being her five-year high school reunion that weekend.

Yorke was also somewhat angry with himself for letting Archie Simpson slightly unnerve him that morning. He prided himself on being the one to fluster others during heated conversations – both those of a business and a personal nature. But without shouting, the tone and general demeanor of Emma's stepfather gave him the sense that it was indeed important to be cautious with his words for the duration of their exchange.

Lost in thought, Yorke soon discovered that he was now driving down his old street. In time, he was once more in front of his house. He parked along the curb across the street, exactly where he had the previous day when he'd arrived in time to find Emma departing.

Within the car, he pulled out his wallet. Buried behind money, credit cards and business cards was a small photo of his late wife Jillian. As he studied it, the photo brought a smile to his face. In it, she was holding their newborn son, James. This was the one photo he had kept that included his son. He'd always believed that his wife had never looked more beautiful than she did in that picture. She'd wanted a child so much and here she'd finally had one. The excitement in her face was plain to see.

Even though she understood that her husband was only going along with having a child for her sake, she was positive that, given enough time, he would come around and be glad he was a father. At times, he felt guilty that happiness about their son was the one thing he couldn't give his wife. But while such events as their child's first steps and first words brought him little enthusiasm, he could still appreciate their significance because of the pleasure these things brought to her.

Also, though he preferred not to admit it, there were occasional moments through the years when he thought having a son turned out to be a good thing. The feeling, however, always passed before a substantial relationship could develop. The one thing they shared was a woman who was now forever gone to both of them, and he hadn't seen any likelihood of them finding new common bonds. He knew that their personalities and priorities were too far apart. And if there was any remaining doubt, their last encounter assured him that he had made the right decision in distancing himself from his son.

But he strongly believed that none of this meant anyone had the right to assault the young man. He would never have said this to the teacher, to the hair cutter and certainly not to the overly talkative blonde girl, but he was surprised by his own reaction when he was first told the news about the attack. Regardless of words or past feelings, this was never something he would have wanted to happen.

That's why he had to talk to the police about the case in person when a simple phone call might have gotten him the same information. That's why he chose to go as far as to visit Emma's home and converse with people he considered beneath him but who would give an honest impression of the situation. That's why he twice found himself parked in front of his old homestead.

James had survived. Sarcastic comments to others notwithstanding, perhaps there was still the time and opportunity now to try and change things between the two of them. To find a way to interact that might make Jillian proud.

The elder Yorke opened his door and slowly got out of the car. Standing beside the vehicle, he spent a minute staring over at the house. As he did, other thoughts entered his mind.

If he did reach out, how long would it be before this recent life-threatening scare was a memory, and interaction once again became a chore rather than a blessing? How long before the feelings of indifference returned?

Within moments, he'd had his fill of questions and self-doubt. This experience, as terrible as it was, would change nothing. Of this he was certain.

As much as he still missed his wife and the passion they shared, he was mostly happy with the new life he'd made for himself in Winnipeg. As much as he felt a sense of concern for his son – and would never feel sorry for making this trip to look into the situation – that's as far as it could go. As far as it SHOULD go. To him, James would still never be the kind of son he could have a relationship with, and James had already made it clear that Nathaniel Yorke was not the kind of father he wanted. This man was sure that the best thing for them both was to continue moving forward with their lives rather than struggling over something that would never change.

So, despite a nagging feeling that he should go into the house and – if nothing else – tell his son how good it is to see him alive and well – Yorke got back into his car. He'd now looked into the incident, consulted with those in-the-know about the various legal aspects, and would be leaving town the following day without his son ever knowing he'd even been in the area. He was sure those were the three best things he could do for the young man.

As he started the car to drive away, Nathaniel Yorke looked once more over at the house across the street. He wished the best for his son. He still had low expectations and wished that the boy had better taste in women, but he nevertheless wished him well. As his father, he knew that was the best he could offer.


	58. Walk On

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. Thanks for the reviews of Chapter 57.

****

Chapter 58 - Walk On

"That's right, I won't need you to work tonight."

An exhausted JT was sitting behind his desk at TMD talking on the phone.

"I know this is the second day in a row," he continued. "It's just a temporary thing until business picks back up and I can afford to have everyone here. And I'm cutting back on hours for all my part-time people, so it's not just you."

JT's face showed increased annoyance as he listened to his employee's reaction.

"Look," JT said, his voice growing louder, "you know what a tough time this is… Fine. Then don't come back… That's right… No, I'll send your last check in the mail. I don't want you in here ever again."

JT then slammed the phone down.

"The guy lives at home with his parents," he said out loud even though he was the only one in the office. "It's not like he was going to starve if he had to go without an extra couple of shifts for awhile. It's only going to be for a few days. Then things will pick up again.

"Okay, maybe a few weeks.

"I thought Spinner was joking around when he said you could hear a pin drop around here. This place has never done big business, but I've been back a few days now and hardly any customers. Guess I can't blame them. Who wants to spend two hours in a dark room in the same building where the owner got himself stabbed?

"And if all that's not bad enough, now I'm starting to talk to myself. Oh yeah, I'm doing just great."

JT picked up a stack of mail that was on his desk and began to sort through it.

"Light bill. Phone bill. Hold on… What's this?"

He put down the other envelopes and opened one that had no return address.

"'Please copy the message below,'" he read, "'and send it to 10 other people. If you break the chain, you will have incredibly bad luck.'"

JT couldn't help but laugh.

"Too late," he remarked before tearing up the note and tossing it in the trash. "I've already got more than enough bad luck as it is."

Just then the phone rang.

"Thank you for calling The Movie Difference," he answered. "Would you like to hear about which movies we're showing this week?"

He became very concerned as he listened to the caller.

"What do you mean you never got the check?" JT asked. "I put that one in the mail personally the day before I… What I mean is, it's been two weeks. Canceling my account? Look, this is obviously a problem with the mail. You know how the post office is. Tell you what, I'll write out another check and… Hold on. This theater has been doing business with your company for years. You can't just… Hello? Hellooo?"

No sooner had the caller hung up on JT than he received another call.

"Yeah, what?" JT answered wearily. "Oh, hello Ed."

JT sighed as he heard the reason for the call.

"Yes," JT responded, "I HAD planned on getting back to you about the deal for the new equipment… Just as soon as I finish reading over all the paperwork… Yes, I know it's been a week since I was supposed to give you my answer. It's just that I ended up being gone for over a week and… Yes, I do understand that your time is valuable, but what you don't understand is that… No, I do not have an answer for you… Because I just don't, that's why!"

JT became increasingly tense as this conversation continued.

"Ed, if we're going to do some business, you are just going to have to give me more time… No, I can't say how much time. Maybe enough time as it takes to be able to think clearly without people like you bothering me. I can hardly breathe around here anymore with all of you wanting things from me every five minutes."

This time, it was JT who hung up the phone. He looked at all the paperwork on his desk that he still hadn't been able to get to since his return to work. The phone then began to ring once again. Tired and frustrated, he knocked the phone off the desk and onto the floor.

"Hey! No fair starting without me."

Startled by the new voice, JT looked up to find Jay standing just inside the office looking pleased with the current situation.

"Knocking the crap off your desk is supposed to be MY job," Jay added.

"How did you get in here?" JT asked, growing nervous.

"Through the door," Jay answered snidely. "Any other questions?"

"How did you escape? You're supposed to be locked up."

"Bail," Jay replied, sounding overly cheerful. "It's my new favorite word."

"That doesn't make any sense," JT said, confused. "If you could get out on bail, it would've happened before now. Besides, what judge would be stupid enough to let you out on bail in the first place?"

"Maybe it wasn't bail," Jay suggested. "Don't you worry about it. I'm gonna be long gone from this place AND this city before any judge has time to start missing me. I just had some unfinished business to make finished before I go away."

"Spinner!" JT quickly called out.

"Didn't see him out there," Jay informed him. "He must be on a break. Can't blame him. Looks like a ghost town out there. No customers. Nothing to do."

"You stay away from me," JT demanded, the feeling of panic increasing within him.

"What? No insults, Yorke? No little stand-up act to distract me? What a difference a few weeks make."

JT decided to hurry out of the room, but he no sooner got past his desk than Jay grabbed him by the arm and then grasped the front of his shirt.

"Not so fast," Jay said, holding JT in place and pretending to sound concerned. "After all, you're still recovering. You've gotta save your strength. Not that there's ever been much to save."

"Help!" JT yelled. "Anybody!"

"Calling out to be rescued? I'm very disappointed in you. But I can forgive you. It's my fault you're still even here."

"Let go of me," JT said, struggling unsuccessfully to get free of Jay's grip.

"The only thing worse than getting picked up by the cops was finding out you were still alive. Here I was going through fingerprinting and mug shots and getting tossed into a holding cell, and you didn't even have the decency to make it all worthwhile by dying. But I'm here to make it up to both of us.

"I thought about looking for your little blonde friend and bringing her over here to watch the festivities. But then I figured it would be even more fun to take care of things here and then go to see her. Maybe me and her can have a little fun before I leave town."

"Jay, a person would have to be insane to think that Emma would ever willingly go near you."

"I'm flexible," Jay responded, grinning. "I never said she had to be willing."

"Don't you dare touch her," JT ordered, his voice sounding desperate.

"Or what?" Jay fired back. "You'll haunt me from the grave? Because that's where you're going. This time I'm making sure of it."

Unable to get away, JT looked in horror as Jay pulled out an all too familiar switchblade.

"I'm thinking this time I should aim closer to the heart," Jay explained. "Maybe I'll have better luck that way."

Powerless, JT watched as the blade got closer. As soon as it made contact with him, he yelled loudly.

Instantly, with eyes wide open, JT quickly sat up. He soon realized that he wasn't in the office, but rather at home in bed.

Sweating and breathing heavily, he realized that the last few minutes had been a dream. A nightmare, really. But certainly not real. This was only Wednesday morning. One week since the stabbing. He wasn't planning to return to work until next Monday.

Though shaken, JT tried to keep in mind that it was only a dream. Emma was fine. His business wasn't a failure. Jay wasn't going to return to finish what he started. There was no reason to feel nervous or stressed about anything. He just wished his mind would hurry up and get the message.

Morning eventually gave way to noontime, which found Emma sitting at the counter of Ryan's Grille awaiting a take-out order for herself and JT.

"What's the good word about JT?" Patrick asked Emma from behind the counter after he'd finished serving a customer sitting two stools over from her.

"I called him over an hour ago to see how he was doing," Emma answered. "There was some uneasiness in his voice, but JT's getting better everyday. He's certainly holding up a lot better than I think I would under the circumstances."

"I'm glad he's doing okay," Patrick responded.

"To tell you the truth," she added, "it's me who's been a wreck the last few days. I started my job on Monday…"

"Oh yeah," he interjected. "I remember JT bragging to everyone at work the other week about how you'd gotten the job you'd wanted with that…animal protection organization, I think he said."

"Right," Emma replied. "With their media and public relations department. Anyway, it's only part-time work and I'll be able to do a lot of it from home. But for this first week, I've had to spend the mornings in the office. And while I'm enjoying the work, it's taken all the willpower I've got to keep from constantly calling to see how he's doing. If I had to work full-days in the midst of all of this, I'm sure I'd be out of my mind by now."

"It's great how you're still as devoted to him as he is to you," Patrick noted. "It doesn't seem to work like that for everybody."

Emma noticed the added bitterness in his last statement.

"Patrick, that reminds me…This is the first chance I've had to talk to you in over a week. Care to explain what possessed you to act like such a jerk to Liberty?"

"Jerk?"

"Class A jerk, from what I heard," she answered plainly.

"It's not worth getting into," he said, trying to minimize how his relationship with Liberty fizzled. "Besides, I'm sure Liberty has already told you all sorts of tales of woe about Evil Patrick Ryan, The Phone Message Withholder."

"Actually, Manny filled me in on what happened," Emma corrected. "Liberty hasn't mentioned your name – at least around me – since your break-up. Patrick, I know you pretended to be a controlling pig when the four of us went on the double date to that awful steakhouse last year, but I can't understand why you decided to act that way for real. Especially at a time when Liberty might have needed your support the most."

"None of that matters, Emma. It's obvious that Liberty was never going to care about me. Not really. I could have been the perfect boyfriend in every way, and I'd still never be more than second best in her eyes."

"That's really sad," she commented.

"I know," Patrick said. "I feel sorry for her, too."

"I meant sad for you," Emma clarified. "Sad that you kept second-guessing her intentions until you eventually drove her away. No matter what you've convinced yourself to believe, I know she cared about you. She deserved a lot better, and I only hope it won't be too long before she finds the right person. The one who will really care about her AND respect her."

Feeling there was no way he could successfully respond to this, Patrick told Emma he'd go into the kitchen and check on how her order was coming along.

Meanwhile, Liberty and Spinner stood just outside of Ryan's near the door.

"You don't have to go in there, you know," Spinner said. "Just in this neighborhood alone, there's gotta be a dozen different places to eat lunch."

"If he's in there, he's in there," Liberty responded, with less steadiness in her voice than she would have preferred. "It's been a week; I can handle it. Besides, I'm not about to let the possibility of his presence keep me from eating food I enjoy in an establishment that I enjoy."

"That's good," he said simply.

"With that said," she added with greater confidence, "it makes things even more pleasant that you agreed to have lunch here with me, Gavin."

"No big deal," he remarked casually. "A guy's gotta eat."

Liberty smiled and started to open the front door when she felt a hand lightly grab onto her arm. She turned back to see Spinner looking at her.

"I'm glad you asked me," he said in a more serious tone than before. "It's gonna be fine in there."

She nodded, and then she led the way inside the building. As they walked nearer toward the counter, Emma spotted the pair and grew alarmed.

"Liberty!" she called out. "Has something happened?"

"Hi," Liberty greeted as the pair reached the counter and stood near where Emma was sitting. "Has something happened about what?"

"With JT?"

Liberty looked over at Spinner, who appeared to be just as puzzled as she was.

"Not to my knowledge," she told Emma. "Then again, I haven't seen JT since I visited him on Monday."

"Oh," Emma responded following a sigh of relief. "It's just that when I saw you both come in together like that, I thought maybe something had happened and you were looking for me."

"No," Spinner spoke up. "We're just grabbing some lunch."

"I see," she said.

After the events of the past week, Emma felt there was very little that could startle her these days. This apparent friendship between Liberty and Spinner, though, was something she would never have predicted. Still, she'd noticed the two spending time talking together at the hospital more than once.

"Let JT know it's all going okay at work," Spinner said, interrupting Emma's thoughts. "But everybody's ready for him to come back."

"I'll tell him. I think he's aiming for a return next Monday."

Just then, Patrick returned from the kitchen carrying a sack containing Emma's order.

"This should be everything, Emma," he said as he handed her the sack.

He then looked over and saw Liberty.

"Hello Liberty," he said in a formal tone.

"Hello," she said in return, though she refused to acknowledge her ex by name.

"How have you been?" Patrick then asked.

"Fine."

"Here for lunch?"

"Obviously."

A part of Patrick had been hoping that Liberty would be apologetic when their paths crossed the first time after the break-up, but he could now see that this wasn't going to happen.

"Liberty, these long answers you give in response to questions…I think that's what I've missed the most."

"We should grab a table before the place starts filling up," Spinner suggested to Liberty after nobody responded to Patrick's sarcasm.

"Excellent idea," she replied. "Emma, say Hi to JT for me?"

Though Liberty missed it, Spinner caught Patrick rolling his eyes when she mentioned JT's name.

"I will," Emma said in answer to Liberty's request. "Talk to you later."

"Liberty, you want to go on and pick out a spot?" Spinner asked. "I'll see about someone bringing over some glasses of ice water."

"That sounds good."

After Liberty walked away, Emma looked on as Spinner leaned his head over the counter and close to Patrick.

"You're not gonna be an ass to Liberty," Spinner said in a quiet but serious tone. "You're gonna be nice whenever she's in here. Or at least stay out of her way. That goes for today or any other day from now on. Got it?"

"Wow," Patrick said sarcastically. "Spinner Mason actually formed several reasonably coherent sentences in a row without a cheat sheet. Don't worry. I was always the understanding one in the relationship. I have no reason to bother Liberty. Besides, what did you have in mind? Planning to beat me up if I wasn't nice?"

"No," Spinner replied. "I saw her in action, and she can handle herself great. But she doesn't need the hassle. And if she decided to slap the hell out of you again, I'd cheer her on and tell her not to stop at just one slap this time. Now see about getting a waitress to come by our table with some water and menus."

Spinner then left the area without Patrick being able to say anything in reply.

"Looks like she really has lost her mind," Patrick then commented to Emma. "She's decided to associate with someone like that? Now I'm positive I'm better off without her. What do you think of all this, Emma?"

Sack in hand, Emma stood up.

"What I think is that it's time for me to go," she answered. "Oh, and I'd listen to Spinner if I were you. While I don't condone violence of any kind, especially after last week, I'm sure Liberty COULD take you if she wanted to. Bye."

While Emma was leaving, Spinner sat down in the booth Liberty selected.

"You did it, Liberty," he said as he looked across at her. "Came in and didn't let Mr. Nameless get to you or anything. Not a surprise, but it was good to see."

"Thanks," she replied, once more feeling relaxed and confident. "Now, we've wasted enough time on him. I want to get back to what we'd started talking about the other day. You were telling me what it was like being part of a band."

"Yeah," Spinner said enthusiastically. "Those were some good times. I know everyone thought it was Craig's band, but the thing to remember is it's the drummer who's always the most important part of the whole thing. You know…the one that holds it all together. You don't have a really good drummer, you don't have a band. Hey, what kind of music do you like?"

A short time later, Emma arrived at JT's. After letting her in and answering her now-standard questions about how he was feeling, he followed her into the kitchen, where she put the sack containing their lunch on the table.

"Fun day at work?" he asked while grabbing plates from a cabinet.

"Right now they have me doing a lot of busy work," she explained while getting drinks out of the refrigerator. "Making copies. Folding pamphlets. Preparing mail-outs. Nothing major yet. But then, it was only my third day."

"And you still loved every minute of it," JT said knowingly.

Closing the refrigerator, she looked at him setting the kitchen table and smiled.

"I did. I do."

"I knew you would," JT responded. "And I bet it's not going to be long until they've got you writing the copy for some of those pamphlets and mail-outs."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she cautioned. "Anyway, what have you been up to today? Nothing too strenuous, I hope."

"Just thinking. For me, I guess that counts as strenuous."

"Not funny, JT."

JT considered telling her all about his dream, but for a change decided to just get straight to the point.

"I'm sorry Emma."

"Since when does JT Yorke apologize for an attempt at humor? Even a failed attempt. Especially a failed attempt."

"No," JT stopped her. "I'm sorry I didn't do a better job."

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, growing concerned.

"He said these horrible things about you and all that happened is that I almost got myself killed," JT said, leaving Emma with no further doubt as to what he was referring to. "While I was on the floor in there he could have come after you and I couldn't have done a thing to stop him."

"But he didn't," she countered. "He wasn't interested in hurting me, only…only you."

Though Emma had been trying to maintain a positive outlook these last several days, her own thoughts regularly drifted back to that night one week earlier.

"He could come back," JT continued. "It could happen all over again and I still couldn't…"

"That's not going to happen," she insisted.

"Emma, I'm supposed to be able to look out for you."

"Yeah," she said weakly. Then she slowly reached over and grabbed his hand. "And I'm supposed to be able to look out for you, too."

JT looked at Emma and realized she must have been having similar feelings of regret.

"You said it yourself back when we went to see Shane," she explained. "He asked if you took care of me, and you told him we take care of each other. That's the way it's always been with the two of us, going all the way back to kindergarten. But there's no way I could prevent what happened to you. I'm so fired up about protecting the animal kingdom, and I can't do a thing to keep the person I love most in this world from almost…"

Choking on the words, she had to pause for a moment.

"Emma…"

"But we can't control what happens during the times we aren't together," she continued speaking before JT could say anything, "I know that if I had been there that night, I would have done anything necessary to prevent what happened. I also know that if I'd been there and you saw him coming toward me, you would have done anything necessary to stop him from reaching me."

"I guess that…"

"As it is," Emma, now impassioned, again kept speaking without JT being able to get a word in, "you DID do something. You defended me against his words. Defended Sean too. You did what you could against a dangerous psychopath, and I don't want you to ever feel guilty about 'what-if' situations that are out of your control. There is no doubt in my mind that I feel safe when I'm with you and that you won't let anything happen to me when you're around, just as you can be assured that I will do the same for you."

"Emma…"

"By the way, JT, if all of this had happened to me, there's no way in the world you'd let me get away with saying things like 'I almost got myself killed.' And I'm not going to let you get away with it either. I said this to you in the hospital, and I'll keep on saying it until I'm sure you believe it – you were NOT the one responsible for Jay doing what he did."

Despite the comfort that her words brought, JT simply looked at her and smiled, not saying anything.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he finally spoke up, "just waiting to see if you were done."

"Of course. I'm not one of those people who starts talking and goes on and on nonstop."

"Of course not," JT said, humoring her. "I was just going to say that I'll work on not feeling guilty. But I want you to do the same."

"Deal," she responded. "Considering it's only been a week, I think we're doing okay."

They then sealed the deal with a lengthy kiss.

"You've definitely started getting your energy back," Emma remarked after they eventually pulled apart, causing JT to laugh.

"Sorry, I know you haven't wanted me to do anything strenuous," JT teased.

"For something like that…you're allowed," she said, grinning.

They then resumed preparing the table for lunch. Emma mentioned that she would have to tell him about the interesting goings-on she witnessed over at Ryan's. JT still had concerns over the part of his dream that showed his business falling apart. He wasn't even sure if he could be in the building without constantly thinking about what happened. But though he still felt out of sorts, he was eager to prove his dream wrong. To get his life back on track. To pick up where he left off.

No. Where THEY left off.


	59. Better Now

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. Thanks again for the reviews.

****

Chapter 59 - Better Now

Monday morning found Emma inside the small neighborhood salon belonging to her mother. As she slowly made her way toward the back, she was oblivious to the usual sounds of the shop – hair dryers blowing, the phone ringing with calls from people making appointments, and hair stylists and manicurists enjoying conversations with their customers while they work.

Reaching the back of the shop and turning right, Emma soon reached her destination – a small room which served as Christine Nelson's office. Through the open door, Emma could see Spike sitting behind a desk looking at a computer screen, a mug of coffee close at hand.

"You've got a lot of customers out there for a Monday," Emma commented after lightly knocking on the door.

Spike looked up and smiled. She was naturally happy to see her daughter, but she was also concerned since Emma didn't typically visit the shop first thing in the morning.

"Morning, Em," she greeted. "That's actually a fairly normal amount of people. Monday mornings are when we get the women who thought it would be too crowded if they came in over the weekend. Right now, I'm looking over some budget figures."

"Ah," Emma said simply.

Spike could tell that her daughter was concerned about something.

"And how are things with you?" Spike asked gently.

"I had some stuff to do for work," Emma explained, "but I was able to take care of it all from my room. I was up early. Couldn't seem to sleep."

"You should have come up before I left. I could have fixed you some breakfast."

"That's okay, Mom. I wasn't hungry."

Emma didn't say anything else. After several quiet moments, Spike was about to speak up when Emma broke the silence.

"Today's the day," Emma said anxiously. "This morning's the morning."

"I know," her mother responded. "And it's a good thing."

"A part of me wants so much to go over there and…I don't know. Just…be there with him. For him. Making sure he's okay. That he feels safe."

"And the other part?" Spike asked.

"The other part of me knows how important it is that he makes his return on his own."

"You're making the right choice," Spike assured. "Not only does he need to face going back there on his own terms, but this also shows him that you know he's ready to handle whatever happens."

"Besides," Emma added, "it's not as though I think he isn't ready or that he isn't strong enough or that he can't be there by himself. But I still worry about him."

"That's natural, Emma. He's been through a terrible ordeal. But he's always been able to deal with adversity and come out stronger for it. Kind of like a certain daughter of mine. Anyway, I think I can safely say that even though you aren't with him in person, he knows that you're with him right now. He may be the only one in that building this morning, but he's not alone."

"Everything you've said…I already knew it, but I just needed to hear you say it. It helps."

"I'm glad," Spike said. "Now are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come on in, have a seat and relax for awhile?"

"Relaxing would be a nice change of pace this morning," Emma joked as she entered the office.

Only a few miles away, JT stood alone in front of TMD. Though he knew in his mind that there was no need to worry, today he chose to park in the main lot rather than behind the building in the staff area. He wasn't up to going in the back way. Not on the first day back. Looking ahead, he felt ready to go in but also nervous.

He slowly made his way to the doors. He unlocked them and went inside. Once inside the lobby area he quickly re-locked the doors and then turned on all the lights. Normally, he could make his way throughout the building even in complete darkness, but on this day he needed to be able to see everything. He wanted no surprises.

He surveyed the area. Everything looked the same and yet things didn't feel the same. At least not so far.

Leaving the lobby and walking past the concession area, JT entered the hallway going toward his office. The closer he got, the more nervous he felt. Stopping in front of the restrooms, he felt the urge to run inside the men's room and throw up, but he didn't. It helped that he'd chosen not to eat anything for breakfast so there was nothing TO throw up. Instead, he took a sip of water from the fountain set up between the men's and women's restrooms. Then he splashed some water on his face. Afterward he resumed what felt on this morning more like a major journey than a simple walk to his office.

Finally JT did make it to the office. He looked at the closed door. On it was written the word 'Office.' Prior to him purchasing the business, the door had been labeled 'Private.' Changing the wording was one of JT's earliest acts as new owner because, despite the fact that he usually kept his door open anyway, he never wanted to give the impression that his office was private. That a customer or employee couldn't feel welcome to come in if there was something he could do for them.

Back then, he'd also considered making his staff start wearing little hats – if only for his own amusement. But he had decided against it, not wanting an employee revolt on his hands during that first week as the new boss. Changing the wording on the door, though, was something he did without hesitation.

That was then. Looking at the door now, JT clearly remembered being on the other side and watching as Jay closed that door right before their confrontation.

Private.

Trapped.

JT quickly pushed the memory aside and opened the door.

As he looked inside, JT's first reaction was to smile. Even though he'd only been gone for a week and a half, it had seemed like much longer. While he noticed several stacks of papers on his desk, the thing JT zoned in on was his nameplate. It sat on his desk as though it had never fallen to the ground. A gift Emma had presented to him to make the building and this room in particular feel like it was truly his, in JT's mind the object now served as a 'Welcome Back' symbol.

JT turned on the light and slowly walked into the office. Though he could tell that a few things appeared out of place, the room basically looked the same as usual.

Making his way behind his desk, he stopped and looked down at the ground. This was the spot where he sat. Sat and bled and struggled to stay alive. Not knowing if anyone was going to find him. Not knowing if he was going to live or die.

Now growing weaker as these memories dominated his thoughts, JT sat down in his chair. He looked over at the picture of Emma on his desk. He was sorely tempted to call her, but he also knew he needed to be here by himself before the staff and customers showed up. Besides, as Spike predicted, JT knew that Emma was with him even without her actually being there.

Right now he just wanted to sit quietly and get used to being back in the room. He had so many good memories there. He didn't want to believe that one terrible incident could destroy all that had come before.

JT hadn't sat there for very long when the phone rang. The sudden noise caused him to flinch. Then he just stared at the phone as it continued to ring. Answering it would mean he was really back, and right now that was still a scary concept.

"Th-thank you for calling The Movie Difference," JT finally answered after letting it ring one more time.

JT felt nervous and was sure his heart was beating rapidly. But on the other end of the phone was someone wanting to know what was playing and at what times. He was relieved. Not only were these questions which he could easily answer, but – contrary to his dream of failure – it meant there would likely be at least one customer on this day. As he gave the caller the information, he started to feel more comfortable.

"Okay, so those are the times," JT said.

Feeling a certain amount of confidence, he then decided to keep going rather than carry out his original plan of getting the caller off the phone as quickly as possible.

"Now about the second film I mentioned…it's a French drama, so it's got sub-titles. Have you been to many films like that? Okay, then this would be a good chance to give it a try. Great, I'm glad you're interested. Say, can I give you some free advice? Because you've got a movie with sub-titles, you're going to want to get the extra-large popcorn. It costs a little more but you'll be glad you got it. After all, you're not just watching the movie, you're doing all that reading, too. So you're going to work up a bigger appetite than you would at your usual films. I'm sure there's been studies done about just this sort of thing.

"No problem. I know you'll have a fun time. Me? I'm JT Yorke… I own the place. You're welcome. You have a good day, too."

As JT hung up the phone, he took a deep breath. He'd gotten through the call without a problem. Instincts kicked in and he wasn't thinking about anything but helping the caller…and encouraging the purchase of higher-priced snack items. He started to think that maybe this would all work out after all.

Back at Spike's office, Emma was now sitting in the chair on the other side of the desk from her mother.

"It's hard knowing where the line is," she remarked. "Showing concern and being protective without going too far and becoming overprotective and smothering."

"There's not a specific formula for success where that's concerned, Em," Spike explained. "Me and Snake know where that line is with each other. Most of the time. I'm sure you and JT do too or things wouldn't be as solid between you as they are.

"It's all a matter of doing your best at figuring out what works and what doesn't work for each of you. Sometimes you find the perfect balance. Sometimes you stumble and step on one another's toes. But it's all coming from a place of love and caring, so even the stumbles are the result of the best of intentions."

"I'd still rather make the mistake of overdoing it than feeling like I'm not doing enough to help," Emma remarked.

"That's not news," Spike teased. "That's a given. Say, what DID become of Johnny Sims, anyway?"

"Who?" Emma asked curiously.

"You mean that name doesn't ring a bell?"

Emma thought for a moment, then she realized what her mother was referring to and laughed.

"Mom, I hadn't thought about him in years. That was way back in Grade 3."

"The first week of the new term to be exact."

"I can't believe you remember," Emma said.

"Hey, getting a call from school saying that one's peace-loving daughter just punched out a boy during recess isn't something a mother is likely to forget."

"Hey, he kept bothering JT. Making fun of the fact that JT's two closest friends were me and Manny. Saying JT must be a girl too since we're who he was always hanging out with. Manny suggested we just ignore Johnny, and JT was trying to make a joke out of the situation. As for me? I decided on the more direct approach to dealing with the bully."

"Direct is right," Spike remarked. "Luckily his nose wasn't broken."

"Okay, I was young," Emma said. "I wasn't thinking about better ways to handle the situation. But even now I have to admit that a bloody nose was the least Johnny deserved. Anyway, he didn't bother JT after that, and JT both enjoyed and appreciated my going into attack-mode."

"I remember trying to sound shocked and concerned while I was on the phone with the principal, but all I could think was 'Way to go, Em!' I liked that you were willing to step up and defend your friend. Not an attitude that was going to win me Mother Of The Year, but so be it."

Mother and daughter both laughed.

"It wasn't like the school ever thought that highly of me to begin with," Spike then added. "Back when I first enrolled you, they assumed I was your older sister. And they had difficulty hiding the judgmental expressions on their faces when I informed them that you were my daughter."

"The nerve of some people…" Emma responded.

"I know," Spike agreed. "But by then, I'd gotten good at not letting attitudes like that bother me."

"You know, last week JT and I agreed not to feel guilty about the things that happen that are out of our control. But being there the other week to do some serious damage to Jay Hogart? That would have been nice."

"No doubt."

"And I'm certain JT is having a good first day back," Emma said. "Still, I'll feel a lot better once he's made it through that particular hurdle."

Later on that morning, employees made their way into TMD before it was time to open up the theater to customers. They soon gathered together in JT's office to welcome him back. JT felt a sense of relief as they were all pleased that he had returned. After a few minutes they left the room to go about their daily routines, but Spinner stayed behind to talk to him.

"It's about time you stopped being so lazy and got back to work," Spinner kidded him. "Being temporary overlord around here wasn't easy. I think I'm starting to get some gray hairs."

JT hesitated for a moment, but then he smiled, feeling like maybe he COULD start to joke around in this room again.

"Uh-oh," JT responded, using the same joking tone. "Does that mean you're going to go get another bad dye job?"

"Hey, I could always try putting some of that special popcorn butter on my head," Spinner remarked, "but I bet it would make all my hair fall out."

"Yeah, bad idea. Besides, we've gotta save all those toxic chemicals for our customers' popcorn."

Right after he made that last comment, JT stopped smiling.

"That is…if we even get more than one or two customers today."

Spinner saw that JT was no longer kidding around so he too became more serious.

"Hey, haven't I been telling you how we're still getting the same business as always while you've been gone?" Spinner reminded him. "Since you're back you'll be able to see it for yourself. I don't think there's any customers too afraid to come here. And there won't be."

"Maybe you're right," JT commented. "I've already had a few phone calls this morning asking what we're showing. I guess I'm just being paranoid."

"Well you don't have anything to worry about. And now I've got some ideas I think you're gonna like."

"Spin, I've told you before…installing pay toilets to make more money would not be customer-friendly."

"No, this is something different."

Before Spinner could elaborate, a new figure appeared in the doorway and interrupted their conversation.

"Welcome back. It's good to finally see you behind the desk again."

JT and Spinner looked toward the door in time to see Patrick walking in.

"We'd welcome you back too," Spinner responded to him sarcastically, "but nobody around here cares."

"Okay Spin…" JT interjected. "That's enough of that. Thanks, Pat. It's good to be here…or anywhere for that matter. Spin, could you leave us alone?"

"But I thought we were gonna talk about…"

"Thanks," JT interrupted before Spinner could finish. "But don't shut the door open on your way out."

"Um…yeah. Okay."

Feeling left out, Spinner vacated the office – something that made Patrick quite happy.

"With you back, things can finally go back to normal around here," Patrick said confidently once he and JT were alone.

"How would you know?" JT questioned as Patrick took a seat.

"What?" Patrick asked in surprise.

"You were never here while I was gone," JT elaborated. "So you can't really say what things were like around here."

"Come on, JT. Okay, I get that the pain medication must have made you all crazy."

"I prefer the term 'loopy,'" JT said dryly.

"Anyway," Patrick continued undeterred, "because of that, I can kind of see why you had the insane idea of letting HIM handle things. Maybe it also had a little to do with you feeling grateful for his help the night everything happened. But still…you can't be surprised that I wouldn't want to work here while he was trying to call the shots."

Before saying anything in response, JT thought about how this wasn't a conversation he wanted to have on this particular day. He wasn't sure if he was up to it, but he also knew there were things he needed to say.

"I know you didn't like the idea of me hiring Spin in the first place," he then began. "But I'm glad I did. Not just because he ended up saving my life but because he's damn good at doing anything I need him to do around here. Sure, he messes up sometimes. But so do I. So does everyone around here, including you. But he's always trying. Giving 100 percent.

"I'm glad Spinner agreed to help keep an eye on things while I was recovering. We joke around with each other all the time, but I knew he'd be up to it. And he was. You don't like that or you don't like him? Fine. But it's still your job to be here when you're scheduled to be here, and we both know you weren't really sick all that time. I mean, you were still working over at your folks' place."

"Hold on…"

"No," JT stopped him. "You hold on. Besides being a friend, Spinner is someone I can rely on. You disrespected him. And around here, anyone who disrespects him is disrespecting me, too. I've been thinking it over and…"

"Thinking what over?"

"You don't like the choices I've been making. And I need people here I can count on. And you're not that person anymore. And…you're fired."

Patrick looked at JT in disbelief.

"Fired?"

JT opened the bottom left drawer of his desk and pulled out a bag.

"I was told the stuff in here belongs to you," JT said as he handed the bag over to Patrick. "Things of yours that Liberty left here when I was still in the hospital."

"Okay, now I get it," Patrick spoke up. "This isn't about business at all. This is about Liberty. What? Did she ask you to fire me as some sort of payback?"

"No. But I heard about what happened with you two. I know I've done some stupid stuff to hurt her feelings more than once. But at least when I did it, I was just a kid. What's your excuse?"

Patrick started to respond, but before he could JT held up his hand.

"Nope," JT said. "I changed my mind. I don't want to hear any excuses. Like I said, me firing you was business, not any kind of personal matters."

"Yeah, right," Patrick remarked cynically.

"Oh, trust me, it makes doing all this easier. But if this WAS because of how you treated Liberty, I wouldn't have had Spinner leave the room like I did in order to make things easier and more private for you right now. Actually, if I really wanted to make this about how you treated Liberty, I probably would've just fired you over the phone and made sure nobody let you back in the building again."

"Some friend you are," Patrick said, sounding more like a child not getting his way than a young man.

"Can't you think of a less boring response?" JT asked sarcastically.

Bag in hand, Patrick got up and walked out of the office. He stormed past Spinner, who was standing against the wall near the office, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation.

Initially thinking that he was being kept out of the loop, Spinner was relieved – and more than a little surprised – to learn how wrong he was. Just within the past year, Paige had broken up with him and left town, he'd gotten fired from one dead-end job after another, and the band had come to an end. But here, he was finally able to feel like he was a part of something again. He'd been able to show that he could do important things without screwing it all up. Though he thought things were going well, JT had now unknowingly confirmed this for him.

Spinner also realized that he was eager to call up Liberty once he went on break so he could share the good feeling with her.

The day continued normally. Then, early in the afternoon JT phoned Emma. She listened as he explained having to fire Patrick.

"I never thought I was going to have to be one of those bosses that actually fired someone," JT lamented. "Even if he did deserve it."

Emma smiled at JT's overly optimistic notion that he'd never planned on having employee difficulties.

"I'm sure you wouldn't have done it if it weren't necessary," she offered.

"True," he responded.

"How's the rest of your day going?"

"Took a few phone calls. Read over some of the mail. It's already been sorted, so I'm only having to deal with the important stuff. Got through a tiny bit of one stack of the papers on my desk. Mostly I've just been trying to get comfortable being back."

"And are you?" she asked.

"Some," JT answered. "Not all the way. But I'm getting there."

"I never doubted it for a minute. Worried a little. Okay, maybe more than a little. But never doubted."

"That's good to know," he responded, happy to hear her say that. "Anyway, I'm on my way home in a few minutes."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Spin was in here a few minutes ago. He'd come up with some ideas to make things safer around here."

"And that did you in?"

"No, but while he was here he said I was looking really worn out. Which I am. I was just hoping it wouldn't show."

"It's your first day doing so much. I'm not surprised that you're tired."

"I was going to try to keep going. But Spin said if I didn't agree to take it easy the rest of the day, he was going to get both you and Liberty to come over here to give me some sort of tag-team lecture on the importance of good health and not taking any chances with it."

That made Emma laugh.

"I'm glad you've got people there making sure you won't try to overdo it," she then said. "After all, it's in your nature to get a bit carried away at times."

"And all these years I thought you liked that about me," JT joked.

"I love it," Emma confirmed. "But not when your health is concerned."

"Well, there's one thing you could do that would make me really feel great."

"And what would that be?"

"You can meet me at my place in ten minutes. If I'm going to take it easy, it'll be more fun if we're being lazy together."

"Sounds awfully demanding," she teased.

"Yeah, it's horrible," he said, playing along.

"I suppose I can be over in ten minutes. For the sake of maintaining your health of course. Not because I'd be incredibly eager to see you or anything like that."

"Of course not," JT joked. "See you in a few."

After putting down the phone, JT looked around the room as he continued to sit at his desk.

He still felt a little shaky about being there, but things were getting better. He felt good about this day. People were pleased that he was back. They were still getting customers. He survived the unpleasant situation of having to fire a former friend. And Spinner was apparently determined that nothing else bad was going to happen to JT around there as far as he was concerned.

Ready to leave, JT first opened the top desk drawer. He pulled out the small box that was sitting inside and opened it. This was the first time since Jay's unwelcome interruption nearly two weeks earlier that he'd gotten to look at the ring.

JT studied the object. The temptation was there. So was the motivation.

He closed the box and stood up. But instead of taking the box with him, he placed it back in his desk and shut the drawer.

Sure, the temptation was there. And the motivation. But HE wasn't there yet. Not fully. But he was confident. Again, things were getting better.

This had been a good day. And now that he was about to go spend time with his favorite person, it was shaping up to be a great day.


	60. Simple Man

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply.

**Chapter 60 - Simple Man**

Saturday morning found JT walking down a quiet hallway within Degrassi Community School. It felt strange for him to be back in the building only weeks after graduating, but there was also a comfortable familiarity about being there. Reaching his destination, JT looked through the open door into the classroom and saw Snake sitting at his desk with his attention focused on the computer screen in front of him.

"Looks like I'm really late for class today," JT joked after lightly knocking on the door. "Everyone else has already gone home."

Snake laughed and looked up from his monitor as JT entered the room.

"Let me guess…" the teacher then said, playing along, "you're back for a refresher course. After a month, you've already forgotten the six years of lessons I gave. And to think, most of my former students don't forget everything I taught them until three months after graduation."

"Don't sound so surprised," JT fired back. "I always was your most unique student."

"Now that's something I can't argue."

"Actually, I just wanted to say Hello on my way out," JT continued lightheartedly. "I've been over by Ms. H's lab. You know the skeleton that's in there?"

"The instructional model of a skeleton?" Snake clarified. "Yes."

"When no one else is in the room, the thing starts moving around all on its own."

"Uh-huh," Snake humored him.

"Seriously," JT went on. "It starts dancing around the room and singing that song 'I Ain't Got No Body.' I like to come back and lurk around the door to the lab sometimes so I can see the floor show."

"Okay," Snake said, rolling his eyes. "First, as I'm sure you know, it's the one-word 'nobody' in that old song. And second, you're starting to sound more and more like yourself again. I think it's great, JT"

"Thanks," the young man said, now in all seriousness. "Hope you don't mind me coming by. When I was at the house for dinner Thursday, you said you'd be working over here this morning."

"Yes, the summer school class I teach weekday mornings just turned in major projects yesterday. Figured it would be easier to start looking at them over here rather than sorting through it all at home. And no, I don't mind you stopping by. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," JT replied. "Made it through my first week back at work in one piece. Of course, Emma said she doesn't want me out there on the ladder changing the signs anytime soon, and Spinner agreed with her."

"I've been there," Snake related. "Back when I was dealing with everything…before going into remission…Spike warned me that if she thought I was starting to overdo it, she'd storm into Mr. Raditch's office and demand he give me a teaching assistant to help with the workload. I have no doubt she would have done it, too."

"No doubt," JT agreed. "Anyway, things are going okay. I'm not working today, but me and Emma will head over there this afternoon to watch this weekend's classics. Our first Saturday back there since…everything. I just wanted to talk to you before then. Without the rest of the family around."

"Anytime, son."

JT sat down in one of the chairs that was closest to Snake's desk. Feeling increasingly nervous, he tried to think of another good joke or humorous story he could tell. This time nothing came to mind. So he decided to simply begin.

"Mr. Simpson…you've known me a long time. Both in school and away from school. I've always gotten along great with you. I mean, you've always been there. My teacher. My girlfriend's father. Someone I can ask questions or even joke with. I'm closer to you than I ever was to my…Well, he's not important."

Even though JT didn't complete the sentence, his meaning wasn't lost on Snake.

"I wanted to make sure you knew that business is still okay," he continued. "I thought maybe people would stay away, but they haven't. And now that I'm getting back into things, I can start making plans for that first commercial."

"Yeah, Emma mentioned that you were talking about creating one," Snake commented. "If you haven't made any decisions yet, I'd suggest talking to Joey at some point. With all the TV spots he's done for his car lot, I'm sure he could recommend which film crews are good for shooting an ad and which ones to avoid."

"Thanks. What I really wanted to say is… Realistically, I know that TMD is never going to make me rich. The place has never been about the money for me. But still, I do okay."

"I don't doubt it."

"Meeting financial obligations…that's not a problem. I don't plan to ever let it become a problem, either."

By now, Snake was growing increasingly curious.

"JT, I'm not sure why you're so concerned with my knowing this."

"All the joking around aside, I'm a responsible guy."

JT's tone in his last statement wasn't one of arrogance or ego. It was said simply and seriously. Also, he was no longer feeling nervous about this conversation.

"At least I try to be a responsible guy," he added. "It was scary going back there on Monday, but I did it. I've been back a week and I still feel nervous when someone first shows up at my office door."

"That's an understandable reaction considering what happened," Snake assured.

"But I'm not letting being nervous stop me from doing the things I need to do there," JT explained. "I'm going to keep doing my best to make my business work.

"I had to tell you all that so you can understand. You see, Mr. Simpson…as serious as I am about that place, I'm even more serious when it comes to Emma. And me and Emma."

"That's also something I have no doubts about," Snake interjected.

"Sure, I'm only 18. But I'm old enough and smart enough to know how lucky I am. I hope this doesn't sound too much like a cliché, but she and I've got a special bond. Worries, disagreements, even a near-death experience…nothing can get in the way of that bond. I want you to know…even with everything that's happened to me, nothing can ever get in the way of me being there for Emma. I promise."

None of what JT had talked about was news to Snake. Still, the teacher found it interesting.

"JT, is there something prompting all of this? After all, you know – or at least should know – that I have no doubts or questionable feelings about you. Neither does Spike."

"I know. I just needed to say it. Things are good. Life is good. Emma and I are good. You don't ever have to worry."

Snake was tempted to make a correction to JT's statement. He believed that no matter how old the kids get, a father – at least a true one – never completely stops worrying about them. Not a pessimistic worry, but a feeling of concern and a hope for good things to happen. Snake felt this for Jack, his natural son. For Emma, a daughter by marriage, but his daughter just the same. And also for JT, for whom he felt a fatherly regard.

Instead of saying this though, there was something else nagging at the man. He felt this was as good a time as any to bring up the subject.

"Since you're here," Snake began, "and since we're having a serious talk…there's something I probably should have told you before now. I wasn't trying to be deceptive. I just wasn't sure it would serve any good purpose to mention it. But I don't like not being upfront about things."

Curious, JT couldn't imagine what Snake was about to reveal.

"Two weeks ago, your…two weeks ago, Nathaniel Yorke showed up at my doorstep."

That certainly wasn't anything JT expected to hear. He sat in silence for several moments.

"I think I'd rather see a bill collector at my door," JT finally said, feeling the need to find some humor in this situation.

"It's true, he doesn't seem to be the type who spreads sunshine wherever he goes," Snake admitted.

"Yeah, more like fertilizer," JT cracked.

"He'd heard about the assault," Snake continued. "He came back to see about the case. I suppose he was going to put pressure on the district attorney's office if he felt there was a chance of Jay not being brought to justice. But legally there were no problems with how things have been going, so he came to the house to find out how you were doing."

"I guess he wasn't interested enough to actually want to see me or anything like that," JT said knowingly.

"From the way he talked, I think he felt his presence might not be helpful to you."

"Thanks, Mr. Simpson, but I know him. What he thought was that it wouldn't be helpful to HIM. Did he say anything else of interest?"

"A few comments he considered jokes, which were only funny to him. You certainly didn't inherit your sense of humor from him."

"Or anything else, I hope. I'm sorry you and Mrs. N. had to put up with him."

"Spike was at work. For that matter, Jack was upstairs and Emma was with you. Only Joey and I had the…well, pleasure isn't really the word. I told Spike about it later, but like I said…with you just coming home from the hospital, it didn't feel like the best time to mention it. And after that…"

"It's okay," JT said. "I guess by coming back, even if he didn't come to see me, he felt like he was doing his fatherly good deed for the year. But I'm glad he didn't try to see me. I told him last year to stay out of my life, and he's stayed out. Does Hallmark make thank-you cards for situations like this? I feel like I ought to send him one."

Snake was relieved to see that JT wasn't feeling let down – neither by Nathaniel's actions nor by Snake's withholding of the information.

"Anyway, the two of you were the ones there at the hospital that first night," JT added, referring to Snake and Spike. "The ones who visited me every day I was in there. Trust me, I know which people matter in my life and which don't."

Meanwhile, several miles away, a much different conversation was being held.

"Sorry, Manny. I tried, but this isn't working out."

"Don't say that, Sean."

"I just can't do this anymore."

It was a struggle for Manny not to smile as she looked over at Sean. It had taken her a week before she had finally convinced him to put on a pair of skates and join her at a local indoor ice skating rink. In the five minutes they'd been out on the ice so far this morning, he hadn't once let go of the railing along the wall.

"Sean, I know this is your first time to try this, but I've been coming here for years. Once you get the hang of it…"

"How did I let you talk me into this?" he interrupted.

"Two weeks ago, I joined you for a day of motorcycle riding," she reminded him.

"So you're saying this is my punishment?"

"No, silly. You introduced me to something you enjoy that I'd never thought I'd try, and I had a great time. So I wanted to share something that I enjoy that I bet you never thought you'd try."

"It's not natural," he complained. "Ice skating is for winter."

"Lots of cities have indoor rinks," she countered. "This is hardly a novelty. You'll need to come up with a better excuse."

"Okay. How about the fact that there's no way I can do this without falling and embarrassing myself?"

Just then a 7-year-old boy was skating past. He slowed down to look at Sean clutching the railing. He laughed and then resumed skating at full speed. Sean then glared at Manny.

"Well, now you've gotten the embarrassment part out of the way," Manny suggested. "And you didn't even need to fall down."

Sean simply shook his head.

"Okay, Sean," she then said, sounding defeated. "We can leave. This was supposed to be for fun, but we can find something else fun to do."

"You're not trying to guilt me into staying, are you?"

"Sean, I'm shocked that you would even think to accuse me of such a thing." She then grinned. "Is it working?"

"Fine, we can stay," he said reluctantly. "But we go slow."

"Of course. This isn't a competition or a show. We decide our own pace. Just hold onto to me…unless you actually prefer holding that railing."

Sean couldn't help laughing. Though he still believed he was crazy to do this, for her he was willing to try. Slowly letting go of the railing, he immediately felt himself start to fall backwards.

Manny, however, quickly reached over and kept him on his feet. In time, the pair started to move forward. Taking the lead, she was doing most of the work – guiding Sean along, keeping him steady and preventing several near-falls. Feeling like he was about to topple over with every move he made, Sean had no difficulty leaning on her.

After awhile, a much older woman quickly passed by the slow moving couple.

"Showoff," Sean grumbled.

"But I bet she can't take an engine apart, find the problem and put it all back together the right way in record time like you can," Manny said, hoping her boyfriend wouldn't get discouraged.

"Good point," he agreed.

"You could probably even do all of it blindfolded."

"Now you're exaggerating, Manny. But I'm not gonna stop you."

"I've liked to skate since I was a kid," she mentioned. "It's been awhile since I took the time, but I enjoy it every chance I get."

"You're really something," Sean said, very much impressed with Manny's ability. "I don't see how a person could ever get comfortable wearing these things. One wrong move and you can fall down and crack your skull wide open."

"So I take it that Professional Hockey Player was never on your list of possible careers," she kidded him.

"You could say that. I got into more than enough fights as a kid. So even without the whole 'can't skate' thing, I wouldn't want to have to deal with all the usual hockey player brawls."

As Manny laughed, Sean looked over at her. Though he was eager for this nerve-wracking activity to be over, the happy expression on her face made it seem worth the hassle. He had more fun sharing a motorcycle ride with her, but she was making even this experience fun for him. Not that he planned on admitting it out loud.

"See?" Manny spoke up a few moments later. "We've made it half-way around the rink."

"And it's only taken us 15 minutes," Sean said sarcastically.

"Now who's exaggerating? Just stick with me and we'll complete the other half in no time."

"Y'know Manny," Sean remarked casually, "if I didn't love you so much, I bet I would have given up on this whole thing before now."

Shocked by this unexpected comment, Manny came to a complete standstill. With her concentration gone, her grip on Sean loosened. And as she stopped, Sean kept going. They hadn't been going even remotely fast but, without knowing how to control his movement, he soon found himself crashing against the nearby wall.

"Ow…" came the resulting moan.

"Love…" Manny, now standing alone, softly repeated the word he'd said which so surprised her.

She also appeared distressed over having heard the word.

Back at DCS, after spending time engaged in less serious topics of conversation than earlier, JT stood up.

"You're not leaving already, are you?" Snake asked.

"I'd better let you get back to work. Hope I didn't bore you too much with my thoughts."

"JT Yorke and Boring are two concepts that have never gone together."

"You know I meant all of what I said before," JT said, wanting to make sure he'd gotten his point across. "Especially about me and Emma. Right?"

"I know," Snake insisted.

Confident that he'd said everything he'd intended to say, JT then started walking toward the door. Upon reaching it, he turned his head back.

"See you later, Mr. Simpson. And thanks for the chat."

"Take it easy," Snake said as the young man exited the room.

Walking out of the building and on the way to his car, JT pulled his cell phone from his pants pocket and placed a call to Emma.

"Hello?" she soon answered from the phone in her kitchen.

"How's my all-time favorite person?" JT greeted.

"I don't know. You tell me. How ARE you doing today, JT?"

"Very funny," JT responded sarcastically while trying not to laugh.

"I'm doing good," Emma answered seriously this time. "What are you up to this morning?"

"Oh…mostly this and that. And also some of that and this."

"Could you be a little more vague?" she kidded him.

"Okay," he replied in a similarly teasing tone. "I'm staying busy this morning. Talking. Thinking. Doing. That vague enough?"

"Perfect," Emma replied. "You should change your name to Four One One, as informative as you are."

"A beautiful woman with wacky ideas…Have I told you you're my dream girl?"

Emma smiled thinking about how, even in the midst of being completely silly, JT could say things in such a way that made her love him even more.

"As fascinating as your mysterious agenda sounds," she said, "I'll be meeting Liberty for lunch in a couple of hours and, if you're free, we could make it a threesome."

"A threesome?" JT repeated, pretending to sound shocked. "Emma Nelson, do you mean to say there's this really bizarre side of you that I didn't know anything about?"

Emma couldn't help but laugh.

"A threesome for lunch," she elaborated, "which you know perfectly well is what I meant."

"Ah, you know me too well," he remarked as he arrived at his car in the parking lot. "But the two of you will have to eat lunch without me today. I have a few more things to do before I see you this afternoon."

"That's okay. Have fun doing whatever it is you're doing."

"I will."

"Just don't overdo it," she cautioned.

"Don't worry. It's a great day today, Emma. And trust me, it's going to get even better."

After finishing his phone call, JT got into his car. Leaving the lot, he thought about how well his talk with Snake went. The news about Nathaniel's brief return caught him by surprise, but he didn't feel disappointment or even bitterness. Actually, he felt relief that they didn't have to talk to one another.

No, what JT was feeling was certainty.

Recent serious conversations with Emma had helped him feel confident that, despite what had happened to him, he could still be a source of strength to her, just as she continued to be one for him.

And despite the nervous feelings he'd mentioned, being back at work had indeed been helping him to feel like his life was starting to get back on track.

Still, he'd also needed to know for sure that Snake hadn't started to doubt him, especially when it came to Emma.

Though JT didn't reveal what he planned to ask Emma on this night, he had said what he felt needed to be said.

Now he was ready.

And JT knew in his heart that this was going to be a night to remember.


	61. I Can Only Give You Everything

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

****

Chapter 61 – I Can Only Give You Everything

On Saturday evening at TMD, Emma walked arm-in-arm with JT into his office after a showing of the Buster Keaton silent comedy, "The General."

"Okay, I've seen lots of movies with car chases, but never train chases," Emma remarked. "That was great."

"And now it feels like things are finally starting to get back to normal," he said, contented.

"Since when have you ever preferred normalcy?" she teased.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "It felt strange not being here the last two Saturdays. But I wasn't about to complain. After all, on the first one I was finally able to get you out of that hospital."

"Last Saturday wasn't exactly a disappointment, either," JT added. "Even though we couldn't be here because I was still having to rest at home, watching DVDs while the two of us stretched out on the couch together was a nice substitute."

Leaving her side, JT walked around behind his desk and picked up the three small slips of paper that were laying beside the phone.

"Let me just look over my phone messages," he explained. "Then we can get out of here."

"I have to say, you've got me very curious about this evening," Emma commented while JT glanced over his messages.

"Oh?"

"I was surprised when you called me while I was at lunch," she continued. "Suggesting we dress up a little more for tonight, but then not giving me any further explanation."

Looking up from what he was reading, JT looked over at Emma.

"I thought it would be fun to get a little fancy tonight for when we go to Burger Time," he explained. "Just think…you'll be the best-dressed veggie burger eater the place has ever seen."

"You're smirking, JT. You are definitely up to something."

"Such an imagination you have, Emma. Just be careful. You won't want to drop any fries on that nice dress."

"Right," she said sarcastically. "Keep talking, Mr. Coat and Tie. But I'm not buying any of it."

"Would you settle for renting any of it?" JT joked.

Emma laughed.

"How about leasing?"

"Are you ready to go yet?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

In response, JT held up the messages in his hand.

"There's one thing I need to take care of first," he then said. "But it will only take a second. Do you mind?"

"No. I'll just get some water from the fountain and meet you by the door."

"Thanks Emma."

She leaned forward over the desk and kissed him then left the office. Once she was gone, JT put the messages back down. None of them were urgent. He could wait until Monday to respond. But the slips had provided him with a nice – not to mention conveniently timed – visual. He now had a simple excuse for needing a moment alone in the room.

JT opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out the small box. Slipping it into his coat pocket and shutting the drawer, he took a deep breath and then headed for the door. He knew that his only challenge now was to try not to appear overly excited before the appropriate time.

Meanwhile at the Cameron home, Manny left the kitchen area and returned to the couch where Sean was sitting.

"You didn't have to clean up, Manny."

"It wasn't like I was washing dishes," she countered while sitting down beside him on his left side. "Just clearing away the take-out containers. Are you sure there's nothing else I can get you?"

"The only thing I want you to do is stop worrying," he instructed.

"But your shoulder…"

"Is a little sore. My ankle, too. Smashing against a wall the way I did this morning will do that. But I'm fine. Besides, it's not like we'd been going fast enough for me to get too banged up."

"I can't tell you how sorry I am that I let go like that. I didn't even realize I had until I suddenly heard you moaning. Then I noticed that I'd stopped moving and you were down on the ice several feet away."

"It's not that big a deal," he tried to assure her.

"I just wasn't expecting… It caught me off guard."

Sean knew something had shaken her while they were on the ice, but he didn't know what it was, and she hadn't offered an explanation all day.

"Wasn't expecting what?" Sean asked as he pressed the Off button on the television remote control.

Manny looked at him and knew that she couldn't put off facing the situation any longer.

"When we were skating, you mentioned that you loved me."

"Yeah, I remember. And…?"

"That's the first time one of us has said it to the other one. And it scared me a little."

Sean looked confused.

"It sounds dumb," she added. "I know it does."

"Not dumb," Sean responded. "But I don't get it. I know I've never made some formal statement. But I figured you knew how I felt."

"I did, Sean. I do. It's the same way I've been feeling about you."

"That's a relief," he said, smiling.

"Only now that it's been said out loud, it's official. And…"

"And what?" he asked gently, curious about her hesitation.

"Every guy who's told me he loves me…okay, every guy who's told me he loves me and meant it…I always end up hurting him. Somehow, some way, I mess things up. And I don't want that for you, Sean. I don't want that for us. Even though we've only been together a few months, I've been so happy. I know you are too. Hearing you say you love me…I don't want it to be some kind of signal that this is the beginning of the end."

Sean felt like telling her that those experiences were ancient history. That she already knew how much she'd grown in the just the last year alone so she had nothing to worry about. However, one of the things that had drawn them together in the first place was that they both regretted actions of the past and wanted to be better people.

He knew from personal experience that no matter how much stronger you become, there was still this fear that comes out from time to time. Fear of falling back into old patterns. Fear that you haven't really improved yourself enough to overcome the mistakes of the past.

So rather than tell her to ignore it – which he was sure would just make her focus on her fears even more – he was going to take another approach.

"Manny, I know from what you've told me before that only two guys had ever said it to you and really meant it. I know how things always turned out between you and them. I know that just because you're good friends with both of them now doesn't make you feel less guilty when you think about the past. I also know you're much stronger than you were back then."

"What I don't know," he continued, "is the future. We could last for years. Or it could be over in a month. By the way, I'm hoping for the first choice. But whatever happens, it's not going to be because of your old mistakes or my old mistakes. I'm sure we're gonna make a lot of new mistakes. But if we're in this thing together, it'll be a lot easier to deal with whatever happens."

Sean's words began to have the intended effect. Manny understood what he was saying. Things were indeed different from her past relationships. The past wasn't going to disappear, but it didn't have to define the present and the future. Though she knew this, it helped to have him there to remind her. The worry gradually began to fade and the confidence she felt before the word "love" was uttered that morning started to return. Unlike earlier in the day, though, she was no longer fearful of those feelings becoming more than unspoken thoughts.

Smiling, Manny leaned over and kissed him.

"I love you, too," she said afterward. "It was about time I told you so."

"You already did," he countered. "When we were in the hospital cafeteria and you told me about your visits to see the babies. You didn't actually say those three words out loud, but that was the first time I heard them from you. If that makes any sense."

"Yeah," she responded. "You're making a lot of sense."

Leaning up against Sean, she put her head on his shoulder. This, however, made him wince. Remembering that this was his sore shoulder, she quickly lifted her head back up.

"Sorry about that," she offered. "Guess we should put that down as one of those new mistakes."

This made Sean laugh. He was relieved that she was beginning to feel like herself again.

"Just a minor mistake," he kidded while wrapping his arm around her. "But worth it."

"You can turn the TV back on if you want," she then remarked.

"Maybe later," he said, feeling relaxed. "Right now I think things are fine just the way they are."

Later on that evening, Emma and JT were sitting at a table in Campanelli's. Having finished his main course, JT watched as Emma finished what was left of her fettucini.

"Enjoying everything so far?" JT questioned.

"You have to ask?" Emma replied between bites. "Once again you are full of surprises. I had no clue you were going to bring me here tonight. It's been a couple of months since the last time we were here."

"Way too long," he responded. "When I called over here today, I was afraid it would be a major hassle getting a reservation on short notice, but they said it wouldn't be a problem. That was not too long after I called you the first time."

"This must be your lucky day," Emma suggested.

"Our lucky day," JT corrected.

"Absolutely," she agreed.

Their waiter soon came over to check on them.

"Are you ready for dessert?" the man asked.

"Sounds great," JT said enthusiastically.

"You go ahead," Emma told him while putting her fork down on her now empty plate. "I don't think I could eat another bite. But I'll watch while you eat."

"Come on, Emma," he urged. "You know that usually when we come here you say you're too full for dessert, then a few minutes later you have second thoughts and decide to order a piece of cheesecake. Just skip the wait this time."

JT then turned his attention toward the waiter.

"Bring us a big piece of cheesecake," he requested. "With the blueberries. And two forks."

Emma didn't notice that JT and the waiter then exchanged a knowing look between one another.

"Very good, sir."

The waiter removed the plates from their table and returned to the kitchen.

"JT…"

"Trust me," JT interrupted. "I know you're going to want it."

"Probably so," she admitted. "And I have no doubt you'll be able to eat whatever I'm not able to. And the more I think about it…it does sound good."

"Emma," JT then began, changing the subject while they waited, "thanks again for before. Trading spots with me after the waiter had already seated us."

"I told you it was no problem," she assured.

"It's not like it should have been necessary," he continued. "We're at a table in the middle of a roomful of other customers. I just felt more comfortable not sitting with my back to the door."

"It's okay," she said gently.

"Guess it shouldn't matter. When Jay showed up at my office, it's not like I had my back to the door then. But it was still a surprise. And not the good kind of surprise, like me surprising you by bringing you here tonight."

"Whatever will make you feel more comfortable definitely matters," Emma told him. "Don't think that it's wrong to feel the way you do about certain things. You're doing great."

"As long as you're having fun tonight."

"Believe it," she replied.

"I haven't had chance to mention it," he said, moving on to a related topic, "but I did decide to go with one of Spinner's suggestions. Well, partly."

"Which one?"

"If someone who's not a customer with a ticket shows up wanting to see me," he explained, "then whichever person happens to be in front taking tickets sends them over to Spin or Amanda at the counter. Then one of them can check with me and see if this person has an appointment. If he doesn't have one, I can at least get an idea about who wants to see me and I can decide things from there. Spin hated the way that Jay was able to get in to see me so easily."

"I agree with both of you. It sounds like a good idea."

"But don't worry, Emma. You're on the list of exceptions."

"Good to know I'm exceptional," she joked. "Wait…you said you're PARTLY going with Spinner's suggestion. What part did you not agree with."

"Well, his idea involved everyone using walkie-talkies to communicate."

Emma laughed as she imagined Spinner enthusiastically trying to convince JT that such a purchase would be the best thing in the world.

Moments later, their waiter returned. On his tray were two plates, each covered with a lid. He set one in front of Emma and the other in front of JT.

"Thank you," JT said to the waiter, who simply nodded and left the couple alone.

"Since when do they put coverings over the dessert plates?" Emma questioned.

"Who knows?" JT replied in a casual tone. "Maybe they're thinking about making things even more formal and this is an experiment. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Perhaps. But what's even stranger is that he brought you a plate, too."

"Well, I asked for two forks. He probably thought I'd want my own plate."

"With a lid covering an empty plate?"

JT shrugged.

"Oh well," Emma remarked. "Like you said, it's not something worth worrying about."

"Exactly," he confirmed.

Emma then proceeded to remove the lid from her plate. Looking down, she was confused by what she found.

"They may be trying for a fancier look, but the service is starting to suffer."

"What's wrong?" JT asked. He had anticipated her reaction but was trying to sound concerned. "You don't like it?"

"The cheesecake looks great," she replied. "But it's plain. They didn't put the blueberries on it like you ordered."

"Oh," JT responded calmly.

"Do you want to flag the waiter over or would you like me to?"

"It's probably just a little mix-up," he offered.

"But JT…"

He slowly lifted up the covered plate in front of him.

"Now this one feels a little heavier than an empty plate should," he commented. "This could be the plate you were meant to have, and you just ended up with something extra."

JT moved her plate over to the side and then carefully placed the covered plate in front of her.

"Go ahead and check it out," he suggested. "And if this isn't what you want either, then we'll worry about it."

"Okay."

Emma removed the lid from the second plate and her eyes widened in surprise at what she saw. This plate was holding nothing but blueberries. Except this fruit was serving a special purpose. The small objects spelled out "MARRY" on the top half of the plate and "ME?" on the bottom half.

"Ah, so that's where all the blueberries were hiding," JT joked while watching Emma. "Guess we have to put them on the cheesecake ourselves. Maybe the service around here really is getting worse."

Confused, Emma looked up to find JT smiling.

"JT?"

"See?" JT pointed toward the cheesecake and then the blueberries. "You've got these two things here. Each one's good enough all by itself. But put them together, and you've got something great. Sort of like us."

Despite the shock, Emma couldn't help but smile at his comment.

JT then stood up and walked over to Emma. Once beside her, he pulled the small box from his coat pocket.

"Emma, that smile on your face… I'm not a musician. So I can't write or play any fancy love songs for you. I'm not a singer, either. Last time I tried to sing in the shower, the bathroom tiles started to crack. And I'm not a poet, so the only verses I could recite for you are some limericks that I don't think would fit the moment we've got going on right now. But I was able to make you smile just now. I've been able to do that since the first day I met you. I want to keep making you smile for the rest of our lives."

He then handed her the box. She looked up at him questioningly, as though wondering if it was okay to open it. Understanding, he nodded.

"Oh my God," she said loudly after opening the box and looking at the ring inside. "Jamie, it's beautiful."

By now, customers at nearby tables had noticed what was happening and were turning their attention to the couple.

"But don't worry, Emma," JT then remarked. "I'm not going to leave it up to the blueberries alone to ask the question. This may be a little old-fashioned, but you know how much I love the classics."

Upon saying this, he proceeded to get down on one knee.

"Emma Nelson, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Though extremely surprised, Emma leaned toward JT and put her arms around him. Onlookers, sensing that she had accepted the proposal, applauded the couple.

"I love you too," Emma said excitedly while hugging him.

Afterward, while holding onto one of her hands, JT returned to his chair. At the same time, fellow customers started returning their attention back to their own tables.

"I can't believe all of this," Emma said, still amazed.

"All part of the surprise."

"I think this one manages to top all the other surprises you've ever pulled."

"Go ahead and try on the ring," he urged, letting go of her hand.

Emma looked again at the ring inside the box and smiled, but then she looked back up at JT.

"Oh, I can't do that yet," she told him.

"Ah, I get it," he said confidently. "You want me to do the honors and place it on your finger. Not a problem. Consider me your official ring put-ter on-er."

"No," Emma stopped him before he could take the ring out of the box. "I mean I shouldn't put the ring on when I haven't even given you an answer yet."

"Oh, okay. I thought you already gave me your answer by the thrilled look on your face when I was down on the ground and you were starting to hug me. But that's okay. Nothing wrong with getting the official spoken answer."

The two then looked at one another. Soon JT became confused when Emma didn't say anything.

"Well…?" he finally prompted.

"Well what?" she asked, confused.

"I know you love to torture me, Emma," JT teased, "but I've suffered enough. The sooner you say 'yes,' the sooner I get to slip the ring on your finger."

"JT…"

"And before you start to worry," he interrupted, "this is the real deal. This ring isn't like that fake junk on the home shopping channels."

"It's a beautiful ring," Emma confirmed. "And this was a beautiful proposal. You don't know how happy I am that you've asked me this question. But I can't just give you an answer right away. An important question like this deserves special care and thought. I'm going to need a little time to think."

JT thought for a moment. Her response wasn't something he had expected. Still, he decided that what she was saying made sense.

"You're right," he responded. "I don't know why I didn't think of it myself."

"So you understand?" she asked, not wishing for JT to mistake her desire for time as a rejection.

"Of course," he answered cheerfully. "Take all the time you need. You think five minutes will cover it? I could head to the restroom so that you can sit here and think."

"No JT."

"Okay. I guess I can sit here and you could go to the restroom, but that seems like a strange place to think about getting married."

Emma smiled.

"I'm talking about real time, JT. The kind where I go home tonight and give this all the consideration it deserves."

"Oh."

Emma noticed the look of disappointment on JT's face.

"Hey, don't look like that," she encouraged. "You know I don't make decisions lightly. Besides, if I had said 'yes' immediately, it would have looked like something out of those movies you enjoy teasing me for liking."

"So when should I check back with you? Tomorrow morning? Lunch time? You name it."

"Let me be the one to contact you."

Emma's answer further puzzled him.

"What?"

"You are very persistent, JT. I don't mean it in a bad way. It's one of the qualities I really admire about you. But it's going to be hard to think about things if every time the phone rings I have to wonder if it's going to be you calling to see if I have an answer yet."

JT sighed, though not loud enough for Emma to notice. She was busy placing the blueberries on the cheesecake so that they could begin to eat dessert.

"I'll have an answer for you soon," she continued. "I promise."

JT wanted to say so many things in response. Things he was sure could convince her that she would never regret accepting his proposal. But time is what she requested from him, so time is what he would have to give her. Reluctantly, he was going to leave things alone and hope for the best.


	62. Baby It's Tonight

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

****

Chapter 62 - Baby It's Tonight

Feeling a wide range of emotions as a result of JT's proposal earlier in the evening, Emma opened the front door to her home. Walking into the living room, she noticed the lights were off. Her mother was sitting on the couch with a now empty popcorn bowl in her lap as the movie she had been watching came to an end. Snake was sitting beside her, although he was slumped over toward the right arm of the couch asleep.

"Hey," Emma greeted.

"Hi Em," Spike responded, sounding surprised.

She turned off the television with the remote control and then stood up.

"You're home early," she continued while turning the lights back on. "It's only a little after 10. And where's JT?"

"Probably on his way home."

Emma looked over at Snake. The added light and sounds of conversation weren't interrupting his sleep in the least.

"Must have been a very dull movie," she commented.

"He made it halfway through before dozing off," Spike explained. "I'm going to assume for his sake that he was just tired after spending a full Saturday at school working, and it's not a sign that he's starting to get bored with my company."

"I don't think you ever have to worry about that happening," Emma said while the two walked into the kitchen. "At least until the two of you reach the mid-life crisis stage in a couple years."

"Very funny," Spike replied sarcastically, though they were now both laughing. "But what I'd like to know is if everything is okay between you and JT? An early ending to the evening. He doesn't come in for awhile afterward. Not exactly typical for the two of you."

"Mom…" Emma rolled her eyes.

"That's right. I'm a mom. That means I claim the right to get curious and concerned from time to time."

"Well don't worry," Emma assured as she removed a water bottle from the refrigerator. "We had a very good evening. Unforgettable would be the best way to describe it. Perfect in every way."

"That's great, Em."

"I just needed to come back. Be by myself. Think about things."

"Things?"

"Things," Emma repeated in response. "As in ideas, notions, ponderings, ruminations…"

"Okay, okay…you win," Spike said, not wanting to start sounding too nosy. "No more prying."

"It's just that…I have a very important decision to make," Emma explained. "An opportunity that came as a complete surprise. But definitely not a bad surprise."

Spike restrained herself from asking her daughter to elaborate, though one idea kept popping up in her mind for consideration.

"Do you know the response you'd like to give in answer to this surprise?" she then decided to ask.

"Oh yes," Emma answered without hesitation. "But there's still a lot of other things to factor in before I make the decision."

"Of course. But knowing what you'd like to do is at least a good place to start."

"That's true. Still, no matter what I decide, this is one of those crossroads moments where there's no turning back."

"I'm sure you'll figure it all out," Spike said confidently.

"Yeah. Well, I think I'm going to head downstairs."

Emma, water bottle still in hand, turned to leave the kitchen.

"You and JT…" Spike spoke up before her daughter had a chance to leave.

Emma turned back around, looking curious.

"Whatever's going on," she continued, "the two of you have been through a lot together – good and bad. And you're strong – individually and as a couple. You're both good at dealing with crossroads moments. So whatever choice it is that you're trying to make, the two of you are going to be fine."

Emma smiled.

"I know," she told her mother. "But it's still good to hear."

Meanwhile, after dropping Emma off JT wasn't ready to go home yet. Driving around the neighborhood for a few minutes, he finally stopped at Ryan's Grille.

JT slowly made his way inside the still busy establishment and over to the counter. After serving a customer on the other side of the counter, Patrick noticed his onetime friend and approached him.

"Hello, old buddy," Patrick greeted sarcastically. "Sorry, but you can't fire me from this job, too."

JT, however, didn't appear to be listening.

"Are you hungry?" Patrick continued. "Or are you here to tell me that Liberty's come to her senses and wants me back but she's too much of a coward to face me herself?"

JT, who was staring past Patrick at the wall, finally looked over at him.

"Huh?" JT asked, confused. "Sorry, I think I missed it."

Patrick then noticed that JT seemed almost lost.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" he questioned, now genuinely concerned.

"Uh…a Coke," JT said after standing silently for a moment. "Yeah, I could use one of those."

"Sure. No problem."

As Patrick proceeded to grab a cup, JT thought he heard someone calling his name. It was only after hearing it a second time that he turned around. Sitting alone at a nearby table, Craig had seen JT at the counter and was motioning to him.

"Over here," Craig said.

After being handed his drink and paying for it, JT walked over to the table.

"Hi," JT said without emotion.

"Hey. You here alone or is Emma around here somewhere?"

"Just me," JT answered quietly.

"Have a seat," Craig invited, curious about JT's formal attire as well as his downcast attitude.

JT sat down opposite Craig, who was halfway finished eating a sandwich and a basket of fries when he'd spotted his friend standing at the counter.

"I got it," Craig remarked. "This must be laundry day."

"What?"

"The suit," Craig explained, pointing at JT's clothes. "I do that too sometimes. You wear everything you normally wear, then the only clean stuff you have to put on when you get around to doing your laundry are the clothes you hardly ever wear."

"No, that's not it. Emma and me…we went out. I just dropped her off."

"I see," Craig said, knowing something was obviously bothering JT. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah. I guess. I don't know."

"Did the two of you have a fight?"

"No," JT answered. "Unless we did and I missed it."

"Either way, I wouldn't worry about it," Craig advised. "Best thing to do is just put it all out of your mind for awhile. For me, music is the best medicine."

In response, JT shook his head.

"Craig, you know I don't play any instruments. Well, that's not completely true. In Grade 3, I had to play the triangle as part of some class musical number for the school's Christmas show. And even then I ended up dropping it during another kid's violin solo. Emma and Manny kidded me about it for days. But at least the sound of the thing hitting the ground woke up some of the people in the audience."

"I was talking about listening to music, not playing it," Craig clarified. "Just turn it on and disappear into it as you're listening. Even if it's just for a few minutes, music can make you forget your troubles."

"I had the radio going while I was driving over here," JT recalled while Craig finished his sandwich. "Scanned through several channels. Some hip-hop station was playing a song called, 'Out of All My Ho's, You're the One I Love.' Obviously a love ballad.

"Then I ended up on some country station. I'm not sure what kind of audience listens to this, but the song had lyrics like 'You can take all my money, honey, but my horse stays with me.' After that, I wound up on some pop station that was having a Jessica Simpson Music Appreciation Night and I knew I'd better turn the radio off altogether or go completely insane."

"You definitely need to get satellite radio," Craig urged.

"Maybe I needed to get her flowers to go with everything else tonight," JT commented, his mind having returned to thoughts about where he might have gone wrong with Emma that evening.

"Everything else?" Craig repeated.

"No, that's not it," JT said in answer to his own suggestion. "She's okay about having flowers, but it's not that big a thing with her. But that still leaves the question of why she needs time."

"Time for what?"

"Sure, this was big. But it was good big. Well, it was good big to me. Apparently not so good big to her."

Craig looked increasing puzzled as he listened to JT's rambling.

"I know I didn't say anything dumb tonight," JT continued. "Wait. Maybe… Okay, I said that stuff about still being nervous sometimes. About not wanting bad surprises. No, it wouldn't be that either. And even if it was, she'd have just said so. She doesn't exactly hide her opinions. So…I'm still in the dark. Waiting and not knowing why."

"This is getting to be a very confusing conversation," Craig observed.

"Confusion breeding confusion," JT remarked. "Sorry. Nothing to worry about. Anyway, what's going on with you? Since when do you eat alone on a Saturday night?"

"Tonight didn't go quite the way I'd planned," Craig answered.

"Welcome to the club," JT cracked. "Hold on…You didn't get chased off another stage, did you?"

"No," Craig replied, rolling his eyes.

"Because I still remember a couple months ago when that club on the other side of town had that Open Mic Hour thing. You got up on stage and started singing one of those love songs of yours. Only it turned out most of the crowd was there for the death metal band that was going on later that night, and you were lucky to get out of there in one piece."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"Hey, it was no falling triangle, but still memorable."

Craig noticed that JT was starting to sound more like himself

"Well, tonight wasn't about music," Craig continued. "I don't think me and my girlfriend are going to work out."

"That's Bridget," JT interjected. "The one you met while you were out of town on that photo shoot the week I was…the week of my hospital stay. Right?"

"No, that's been over. Ever since I figured out that long-distance relationships are too much work."

"Scarborough isn't exactly a long distance," JT reminded him.

"Yeah, but it was enough. And I gave it every chance, but after being back home for two days, I had to end it. Anyway, this is someone new. Cindy. We've been together for about a week."

"You said tonight didn't go as planned. Things are bad already?"

"I swear it's not my fault this time," Craig prefaced. "You see, she came over to the apartment tonight. Listened to some new songs I've been working on. Then we were going to go out for dinner. Only, before we could leave she…um…well…"

"Well what?" JT prompted the now hesitant Craig.

"She got stuck in my bathroom," Craig admitted.

"Stuck?" JT asked curiously.

"She couldn't get the door open when she was ready to come out. I guess she didn't realize she'd pushed down on the lock on the doorknob once she was in there."

"Why didn't she just turn the knob? Your bathroom door isn't any different from most. It'll unlock automatically from the inside just by turning it."

"I had to get her to calm down before I could even start to get into that with her," Craig explained. "Seems she was pushing and pulling on the door knob to get it open and hadn't even tried simply turning the knob before she started getting all panicky. Finally, she did listen to me. But once she turned it and came out, she accused me of having a stupid door and said she didn't feel like going anywhere but back home. Then she grabbed her purse and stormed out of the apartment."

JT was almost to the point of biting his lip to keep from laughing.

"You have the most…interesting…relationships of anyone I've ever known," he then said. "I'm almost afraid to ask how you met this one."

"At an ice cream stand," Craig responded. "She was ahead of me in line and asking the guy that worked there if she could have hers with more cream and less ice. That should have been the tip-off right there for me not to get involved. But she was so beautiful. I couldn't help it. I just had to introduce myself."

"Between your photo jobs and your music, there's got to be a few really good looking women you run into who don't have to ask things like, 'How do you spell IQ?'"

"But this way everything stays simple," Craig reasoned. "These things never seem to work out for me. So the best thing for me to do is just enjoy the ride while it lasts. A few days of fun – maybe even a few weeks – then move on. No pressure."

"I don't buy that. Besides, someday you'll get married and have kids. Do you really want them to have a mom who doesn't know how to get out of a bathroom? Or someone like… What was her name? That girl you dated for a few days a month or so ago."

"Which one? Bonnie?"

"Yeah," JT confirmed. "The one who gave names to each pair of shoes she owned."

Craig laughed.

"You're probably right," Craig then said. "But that's a long way off. After almost becoming a father, I don't want to get too close to anything that serious again anytime soon. I can't. But that's just me. Now you and Emma…that's something real."

"Yeah. I think it's great. I just don't want to mess it all up. And I hope I didn't do that tonight."

"Whatever's going on right now, you two will sort it out," Craig stated firmly. "As usual."

JT took one final drink from his cup.

"I know. But it's still good to have the confirmation."

"Hey, you want to go do something?" Craig asked. "It's still early."

"We could always go dancing," JT suggested sarcastically, "but with this suit on, I'd have to be the one to lead."

"Now I'm thinking my choice of girlfriends isn't half as crazy as my choice of friends," Craig joked.

"But seriously," JT continued, "it's been a long day. I'm gonna head home."

He stood up and was about to leave but paused.

"Couldn't figure out how to get out of the bathroom?" JT questioned, referring back to Craig's girlfriend of the moment. "I met the shoe namer, but THIS…"

"Okay, maybe that was a little much," Craig replied. "But just saying Cindy had a stomach virus and couldn't come over tonight wouldn't have been an interesting enough of a story to take your mind off your situation with Emma for awhile."

JT rolled his eyes and started to laugh.

"Nice one," he then said.

"But the way we met," Craig added, "and the whole thing about the ice cream, was true."

"Scary. Even scarier is that I can easily believe that part is true. I'll see ya."

Leaving Ryan's, JT got back into his car. As he pulled out of the parking lot, he decided to give the radio one more try for the night. He turned it on and decided classic rock would probably be his best bet. Pushing a button for the appropriate station, AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" was the song currently playing. He couldn't help but laugh.

'Good thing I'm not superstitious,' he thought to himself.

JT left the song on and continued driving. By the time it was over he had made it home. After he turned on the lights in the living room, he walked over to the bar. There were no messages on the answering machine. He took the nearby cordless phone with him over to the couch and sat down.

JT was going to call her. He was going to tell her to stop joking around and answer the question one way or the other.

One word. One syllable. That's all he needed to hear.

Only he knew this would be exactly what she had asked him not to do. He stared at the phone for a minute before setting it down on the seat beside him.

No phone calls. No pressure.

And no answer to his question. At least not on this night. He knew she'd find a way to reach him when she was ready. In the meantime, he would have to find something to do the next day to keep his mind off the wait.

Back at the Nelson-Simpson home, the young woman dominating JT's thoughts was sitting on her bed, legs stretched out, listening to the radio. However, if asked, she wouldn't have been able to identify what was playing. Her focus was not on the music. Not even close.

In Emma's left hand, she held the open ring box and was staring at the ring. She was impressed by its beauty, but she was even more excited over what the ring meant.

She looked over at her phone on the nightstand. Glad as she was that JT was thus far honoring her wishes, she almost wanted him to call. She wanted to give him an answer right at that moment. It had already taken her great effort not to blurt out a response in the restaurant.

But Emma felt she should be cautious. Cautious enough for both of them. She had concerns, but they weren't things she thought could be discussed while both were feeling the excitement of the proposal. She wanted this time for him as much as for herself.

Emma was sure that once things were calm they would make the right choices.

**Next Chapter –** A Change Is Gonna Come

**End Note:** Okay, there were no major happenings here, but this was meant to serve as more of an aftermath to the events of the previous chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.


	63. A Change Is Gonna Come

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes: **The usual disclaimers apply.

****

Chapter 63 - A Change Is Gonna Come

"Higher!"

"Okay, but only a little."

"Aw…"

Such was the sibling dialogue Sunday morning at the park as young Jack Simpson sat on a swing, with Emma standing in back pushing him along. She remained careful when it came to her brother's safety, though he would have preferred to be more daring.

"If you swing too much higher," she cautioned, "you're going to go flying over the top of this swing set."

"Cool."

"Yeah, until you land on your head and go Splat!"

"Let's try!" Jack responded enthusiastically.

Emma smiled, recalling from years earlier that the possibility of crashing down on one's head never seemed to deter JT either.

"You know, me and JT used to come out here lots of times. Mom brought us when we were just a little older than you are now. And when we were old enough, we'd come here on our own. Manny, too, sometimes. But mostly the two of us.

"We always had so much fun here. I'd try to get him to go down the slide like a normal person, so of course he always tried to climb up it. This was a much taller slide than the one that's here now. Half the time he'd get almost to the top but end up losing his grip and slide right back down to the bottom.

"And see over where the slide is? There used to be monkey bars right there. We'd climb up on top of them and stay there for the longest time. I don't know how we could have so much to talk about at such a young age, but we never seemed to run out of things to say. Sometimes we'd hang upside down on the bars. His idea, but I'd go along with it. Mom said all the blood was going to rush to our heads. That only made JT want to see if it meant blood was going to start leaking out of our eyes at any moment.

"We both had our competitive side, though, when it came to the big swings. We liked to see who could swing higher, him or me. If you ask him, he'd say he always won. I'd like to say I always won. But the truth is, we were pretty evenly matched.

"JT and I have made so many different kinds of memories over the years. And now I have this chance to make even more memories with him. A chance that's exciting and scary all at the same time. I must have been up half the night thinking about it. The pros and the cons. What it would mean if I said 'Yes.' What it would mean if I didn't.

"Jack, you must think I'm talking like a crazy person."

"Higher!" he requested simply.

Emma laughed, realizing that she'd been thinking out loud more than actually talking to Jack and that he had basically tuned her out.

"How about we take a break from the swings and I can watch you go down the slide," she then suggested.

"Okay," he replied excitedly.

She gradually brought his swing to a complete stop, removed him from the swing and then took his hand. With her free hand, she picked her purse up off the ground. Then they started heading over toward the slide.

"Em?" Jack looked up at his big sister while they continued walking.

"Yeah Jack?"

"Where's JT?"

"I don't know. Right now he could be at home still asleep. Or he could have gone out for breakfast. He could be lots of different places."

"Oh."

"Next time we can invite him to come with us," Emma offered. "But we're having fun, just you and me. Right?"

"Yeah," he answered, looking as though it should be obvious that this was a fun morning.

"It's just that you also like it a lot when all three of us get to do things together," Emma added knowingly.

"Uh-huh," Jack said while nodding his head in agreement. "A lot."

"I know just what you mean."

They soon reached the slide and Emma let go of Jack's hand.

"Hold on just a moment," she instructed while reaching into her purse.

She pulled out her cell phone and punched in a number. While waiting, she noticed Jack – eager to get on the slide and growing impatient – was making a face at her. Emma made a similar scrunched-up unhappy face back at him. This, as she had hoped, made him laugh. Moments later her call was picked up.

"Morning," Emma greeted. "I didn't wake you up, did I? Good. I'd really like to talk. Can you come over to the house this afternoon? Maybe around four? Great! See you later."

After ending the call, Emma returned her attention to the boy standing in front of her.

"Ready to climb the ladder and slide down?" she asked.

"No," Jack said as he walked toward the bottom of the slide. "I wanna go up from here."

Emma rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Even when he's not around," she remarked, "the JT Yorke influence is unstoppable."

At the Mason home, meanwhile, Spinner was in the garage where the washing machine and dryer were kept. He was tossing damp clothing into the dryer when his sister Kendra approached.

"You know," she spoke up, "the last time I was over at your apartment, I saw that your complex has a perfectly good laundry room. Ever think about using it?"

"But if I did that, my baby sister would miss seeing me every Sunday morning. I know how much you worship me. I couldn't put you through all that suffering."

"The only suffering would be you missing out on Mom fixing you a big breakfast. And of course, there's the free detergent, no charge for using the washer and dryer… Should I go on?"

"I bet you could. But never mind all that. Have you wised up and dumped that loser boyfriend of yours yet?"

"Clifford is NOT a loser," Kendra protested.

"Well, he's got a dumb name," Spinner reasoned. "That's close enough."

"That's true; not everyone can have a classy name like you, Spinner," she countered sarcastically, placing extra emphasis on the name.

"I'm just saying…"

"…That you only gripe about the people I date because you care, and you don't want to see me get hurt."

"Yeah," he responded while putting one final shirt into the dryer and shutting the door. "And because I know it gets on your nerves."

His sister shook her head, but then smiled slightly.

"It's like I was saying to Liberty the other day," he continued, "there's…"

"Hold it," Kendra again interrupted. "That's Number 3."

"Huh?" Spinner asked, looking confused.

"The third time this morning you've mentioned Liberty's name," she elaborated.

"Oh," he responded, not understanding. "What's wrong with that?"

"Not a thing. I just think it's interesting."

"Oookay…"

"It's nice to see you showing an interest in a woman who's more than just a pair of pom-poms and a head filled with nothing but empty space."

"Paige wasn't like that."

Kendra rolled her eyes. While Spinner was involved in that relationship, she had kept her opinions about Paige to herself. She knew from personal experience that her brother could sometimes get on one's nerves. From her viewpoint, however, she never believed Paige fully appreciated the good guy that he was capable of being.

"You're right," she then offered. "Paige was perfect in all ways. She sent weekly memos out saying so and everything."

"I'm serious," Spinner argued. "Paige is a good person. Sure, it took a long time to get over her. But that doesn't mean I want to hear anything bad about her. You should have seen the big Get Well card she sent JT the other week. One of those giant things that's about three or feet feet tall. I bet the mailman was complaining all day about having to make that delivery."

"I take it you're the one who called up Her Royal Highness and let her know what happened to JT."

"No," he said, surprising her. "The two of them have stayed in touch, but I haven't talked to her since last Fall when I called and tried one last time to work things out with her. I don't know. I guess Ashley told her about what happened."

"That makes sense."

"I'm glad someone got word to her. If I'd have thought of it, I would have called her myself. It's strange. For a long time, Paige was always in my head. And now all that feels like a lifetime ago."

"Complaining?" Kendra questioned.

"No. From what I hear, Paige is doing okay. I'm glad about that. But now I'm doing okay, too."

"I've noticed," she remarked. "If I was someone other than your sister, I might say something about how I was never worried because I always knew that you'd do all right for yourself. I might also say something about being proud of you. But thankfully I AM your sister, so I don't have to say anything of the kind."

Spinner laughed, understanding what she meant.

"Yeah, thankfully is right."

"Instead, I'll simply ask if you plan on ever turning the dryer on," Kendra then said in a more teasing tone, "or if you're just going to stare at the machine all day like some sort of nut."

Spinner promptly turned the dryer on.

"Hey, the last time you and Liberty talked…" Spinner began, hoping to sound casual. "When was that, by the way?"

"I was over at her place the other night."

"Okay. Great. I was just…curious. About if MY name got a mention. You know, since you seem to be keeping track of how many times I said her name."

"Forget it," she said quickly. "I'm not going to tell you what my friend and I may or may not have discussed."

"What are you? Her priest? Was it more than once?"

Spinner saw from his sister's expression, though, that she wasn't going to reveal anything.

"Fine," he then said as the pair started walking toward the door to leave the garage. "No big deal. Like I said, it was just a case of curiositicity."

'I was right before,' she thought to herself. 'This is definitely getting interesting.'

"But you can still be helpful and take my clothes out of the dryer when they're done," Spinner suggested.

"There is no way I'm touching your clothes," Kendra declared as they were on their way out. "Even if they ARE clean."

That afternoon at the Nelson-Simpson home, Emma was walking downstairs into her basement bedroom.

"I'm glad you were able to come over," she said as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "I was hoping you didn't already have plans."

"I've been wanting to talk to you, too," Manny said as she followed Emma into the room. "Before I heard from you this morning, I'd thought about calling. But I figured you'd be busy with JT all day."

Manny then sat down on Emma's bed.

"So what's up?" she asked.

"A lot," Emma replied, standing near the bed. "I wasn't going to say anything to anyone just yet. But I need a sounding board."

"Okay," Manny responded, watching as Emma began to pace back and forth.

"Now normally JT would be the one I'd use for this kind of thing," Emma prefaced. "But obviously I can't in this situation. And as open as me and my mom are, I don't want to talk to her about all of this right now."

She stopped and looked at Manny, who appeared increasingly curious.

"Manny, you and I… It's funny. Despite all those months when we either argued or barely said two words to one another, since last winter I feel like we've become as close now as we used to be when we were kids. Closer. Everyone was great, but I know I couldn't have gotten through that first night JT was in the hospital if it weren't for you. So, aside from needing a sounding board right now, I've also been really eager to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Manny asked, growing more anxious.

"Last night JT proposed."

"Proposed?" Manny repeated, wanting to make sure she heard Emma correctly.

"Proposed," Emma confirmed.

"Oh my God!"

"That was my basic reaction, too," Emma kidded her.

"You're serious?"

"See for yourself," Emma said, pointing toward the ring box on the nightstand next to her alarm clock and a picture of herself with JT.

Manny turned her head and saw the box.

"Oh my God!" she again shouted, her initial shock turning into excitement. "Can I…?"

Emma nodded, knowing that Manny wanted to see the ring.

"Oh my God!" Manny once more exclaimed upon opening the box and looking at the ring.

"Manny, you're becoming a woman of very few words," Emma teased.

Carefully putting the box back down, Manny then quickly got up from the bed and zoomed toward Emma.

"Congratulations," she said, hugging her friend. "The two of you are going to be so happy. Well, you two are already really happy, but you know what I mean."

"Manny…"

" I can't believe it," Manny continued while releasing Emma from the hug. "Well, no. This is JT we're talking about so I CAN believe it. I just didn't expect it. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, but…"

"What are we doing standing up?" Manny then asked, again not noticing that Emma was trying to say something. "We're supposed to be figuring this all out."

She sat back down.

"The first thing you're going to want to do is get your wedding organized. The racks at the bookstores are filled with all sorts of magazines and books on the subject. There's 'Brides,' 'Young Brides,' 'Modern Brides,' 'Young Modern Brides,' 'Wedding Planning For Dummies.' And probably a dozen others. We could figure out which one would be best. Or we could just get all of them and mix-and-match ideas."

"I haven't accepted," Emma interjected.

"Well naturally I didn't mean just relying on books and magazines," Manny clarified, misunderstanding what Emma meant. "I'm sure you've already thought up a lot of good ideas so far all on your own. Those are just things to help. And I'm sure if we gave Liberty five minutes, she could find a thousand websites with expert advice for brides-to-be."

"I haven't accepted the proposal."

Her mind still filled with thoughts and ideas, it took a moment before Emma's words finally sunk in.

"You said 'No?'" Manny then asked slowly. "But you have the ring right here."

"No, I didn't say 'No,'" Emma responded calmly. "But I didn't say 'Yes' either."

"I don't get it."

"I said that I needed time to think before I could give him an answer."

Upon hearing this, Manny rolled her eyes.

"Emma, why do you try to complicate life by thinking?"

"I'll work on that," Emma joked. "I promise."

"I only mean that you've already gone over most of the concerns I'm sure you're having. You must have, because it was only a few weeks ago that you were sitting right across the table from me at Ryan's and hinting about wanting to propose to him. You said the only reason you weren't going to was because he'd already made a major life change this year by buying TMD. Well now that's not a problem because obviously he WANTS this next major change this year."

"I remember," Emma responded. "And then a few hours after that conversation, we were waiting to see if he would live through the night."

"The one doesn't have to have anything to do with the other," Manny said gently.

"But it could. Manny, I didn't just ask for the time so that I could think. I want him to think, too. Now, can I go over what's on my mind?"

Later on at TMD, Amanda entered JT's office to answer his phone.

"The Movie Difference. Can I help you?" she greeted. "No, he's not. But he'll be in tomorrow. Oh… I could take a message. I see. Well can I tell him who's calling? No, if it's personal, I can understand. Goodbye."

Back at Emma's, the two friends had been talking for over an hour.

"So you see, I couldn't just start jumping up and down. Even though the setting and the proposal were perfect. It's not a question of 'Do I love him enough?' We're talking about motivations, as well as understanding the repercussions and responsibilities involved."

"I still think you're over-thinking," Manny said, "but you made some good points. And a romantic setting isn't the place for the two of you to get into all those details. But do you really want to wait until tomorrow to talk to him?"

"No. Last night and today, I've given everything a lot of thought and know what we need to talk about – at least from my point of view – before I can give him an answer. I'd love to talk to him right now, but I just want him to have enough time to be certain of things before that happens. Anyway, it's been less than 24 hours since he asked me to marry him, so it's not like waiting until tomorrow to have a discussion is turning this into a long drawn-out process. Maybe I'll say 'Yes' tomorrow. Maybe we'll both decide we need to discuss things further. It's not as though we're playing 'Beat the Clock' and have to hurry."

"You're right," Manny admitted.

"Thank you."

"But part of me thinks you're still going to go over there sometime tonight."

That made Emma laugh.

"So…do you want to get out of here for awhile?" Manny then asked. "Maybe get something to eat?"

"Not until you tell me YOUR news," Emma said.

"News?"

"You said before that you almost called me. That you'd wanted to talk. I assumed it's about something in particular."

"Ah. Yes. Well, it's not up there with a marriage proposal…"

"Just tell me."

"Yesterday…me and Sean…I love you's. He said it to me. I said it to him. The first time either one of us had said it to each other."

"Manny, that's great," Emma responded enthusiastically.

"It was right, Em. It didn't just feel right; it WAS right. Well, not counting the wall."

"The wall?"

"Don't ask."

"Oh no you don't. I want to hear all the details. You mentioned food before. I'll drive, you talk."

The pair walked upstairs and into the living room. They saw Spike sitting on the couch thumbing through the pages of a magazine.

"See you later, Mom," Emma said.

"Bye," Manny added.

Spike didn't respond. Her attention was still on the magazine.

"Mom?"

This time Spike heard the voice and looked up.

"What? Oh, hey girls."

"We're taking off," Emma told her.

"Yeah. You two have fun."

Emma and Manny left through the front door. Moments later, Snake came downstairs.

"I heard the girls leave. Guess it's just the three of us for dinner tonight. You want to go out? Or we could order some take-out."

Rather than answer, Spike let out a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She slowly put the magazine down on the coffee table in front of her, and then she looked up at her husband.

"I…was going to ask if Manny wanted to stay for dinner. A few minutes ago. I only got two, maybe three steps downstairs when…"

"When what?" Snake prompted as Spike paused to take another deep breath.

"I wasn't trying to eavesdrop or spy," she explained. "Emma's a grown woman, and even when she was younger I didn't believe in doing things like that."

"Whatever you overheard…it was an honest mistake," Snake tried to reassure her. "I'm sure Emma wouldn't be mad at you. You don't need to get worked up about it."

"It's not that. I heard her say… They were discussing how… It seems that last night, JT asked Emma to marry him. Marry him."

Much later on that night JT pulled into his driveway while talking on his cell phone, checking in to see how things were going at TMD that evening.

"I don't know, Amanda. It could have been anyone. When you're as beloved as I am, everyone wants some of your time."

He then started to laugh listening to his employee's response to his sarcasm.

"No," he replied, "I won't fire you for saying you want to laugh hysterically at that statement. So is there anything else of interest happening over there tonight? That's good. No, I didn't get as much done today as I thought I would. But I'll get it figured out. As always, feel free to call if there are any problems. And if you can't reach me, call Spin. But I'm sure the rest of the night's going to be just as uneventful. Night."

Ending the call, JT reached over and grabbed the almost empty soft drink bottle from the cup holder and then got out of his car. He reached into his pocket for his house keys while walking toward the front door.

"It's about time you got here," a voice remarked, startling JT. "You've got a nice stoop, but I was getting bored."

Having left home that morning, his outside house light wasn't on. The nearby streetlight was helpful, but JT hadn't noticed the figure to the right of the door coming out of the shadows on the stoop. Until now. JT was surprised to see who his visitor was.

"When they said you weren't at work, I knew you were probably going to come here. Don't look so shocked. You HAD to expect a meeting like this sooner or later."

It took JT a moment before he could finally speak.

"Alex…"


	64. Peace Of Mind

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Chapter 64 -- Peace Of Mind

Looking up at Alex standing on his stoop, JT reached the front steps and hoped his face wasn't betraying to her how much her unexpected presence was alarming him. Sure, this wasn't Jay – the one who had intruded on his dreams more than once since the stabbing. But she wasn't someone JT intended to welcome with open arms.

"I guess telling you that you're not welcome here won't matter," JT said, trying to sound calm.

Alex looked at him. Though she hardly knew JT, she could always tell when someone was feeling nervous or uneasy around her.

"I've heard worse," she responded. "After all, I've worked in sales."

"Yeah, I think Sean mentioned that to me awhile back," JT commented. "You going door to door. Well whatever you're selling, I'm not buying."

"I quit that job for a better one," she informed him. "But none of that is why I'm here."

"I didn't think so."

JT told himself that no matter what was about to happen, he wasn't going to let fear control him. Then he wondered if he could actually believe such a thing.

"So what's it going to be, Alex?" he asked, maintaining eye contact with her as he tentatively walked up the front steps and joined her on the stoop.

"What are you talking about?" the dark-haired young woman asked.

"Your revenge weapon of choice for the evening," he explained. "A pocket knife seems too boring for you. Did you bring a machete? Maybe a gun?"

"I…"

"I know," he continued. "Your earrings. Maybe they're razor sharp and you're going to toss them at me. Maybe sever my head and then mail it to the prisoner as part of a care package to cheer him up."

"Look…"

"You know, those earrings really ARE big," JT observed while looking at her. "Almost like they could be hula hoops for guinea pigs."

"If you'd shut up for a second," she spoke up quickly after he'd finished, "I'd tell you why I'm here."

Tense, JT tightened his grip on the empty plastic Coke bottle in his hand while wishing he were just about anywhere else at that moment.

"I saw Jay today," Alex revealed.

Meanwhile at the Nelson/Simpson home, Snake was sitting on the living room couch watching TV while Spike sat beside him with pen and paper in hand. She had intended to make a list of errands she needed to take care of the following morning before going to the salon. Instead, she'd merely been staring down at a blank page for the past ten minutes.

"I heard it, and I still can't believe it," she finally uttered, though more to herself than to her husband.

Snake turned his head toward her.

"She speaks!" he announced jokingly.

"Huh?" Spike asked, confused, as she looked up from the blank paper.

"The silence during dinner was deafening," Snake elaborated. "Jack thought we were playing The Quiet Game."

"Sorry."

"No need to be," he assured while pressing the Off button on the television remote control. "It's just a little unusual. Even when something's troubling you, you're seldom quiet about it."

"I'm just…in shock, I suppose," Spike said, trying to put her thoughts into words. "To say that overhearing Emma talk about receiving a marriage proposal caught me off guard would be an understatement."

"Perfectly understandable," Snake responded calmly.

"You know, when Emma told me last night that she had an important decision to make…that she had received an unexpected opportunity…I thought maybe JT had asked her if she wanted to go away for a few days. After all, so much has happened lately. And it IS summer, so a little romantic vacation getaway seems like an obvious choice. I figured she wanted time to think because she needed to make sure that going away together like that felt right to her."

"So that wouldn't have bothered you," Snake noted, trying to understand her reaction.

"Obviously I wouldn't have wanted to know all the intimate details," Spike answered, "but no, it wouldn't have bothered me. It's one thing to spend a few days of fun together. They're both young adults who love each other and have enough sense and education to act responsibly. But to decide right here and now that they're ready to make vows and pledge themselves to one another forever in marriage? That's something else entirely."

"I understand what you're saying," he interjected.

"We live in a society where over half the marriages end in divorce," Spike continued. "Many of them don't work out despite the best of intentions. And others? So many couples treat marriage like they're signing up for a rental car – they want something nice but know going into the deal that it's nothing permanent. And they can quickly get a replacement if anything goes wrong."

"In general I agree," Snake offered. "A lot of people DO tend to take marriage too lightly. But I honestly don't believe that way of thinking applies to Emma and JT."

"I know, but marriage IS something that shouldn't even be considered without a lot of thought. Putting aside how young they both are, it's natural that they might not be thinking clearly right now."

"How do you mean?" he asked.

"The more I think about it, the more it's all starting to make sense to me now," Spike replied. "JT's just come out of a near-death experience. And I know how helpless Emma felt while he was in the hospital. She's like me in how much she dislikes feeling helpless about anything – especially when it concerns someone she loves. It's been a highly emotional time for them. Both the proposal and her seriously considering it…it's possible that this is based on fear."

"Rather than based on love?" Snake challenged.

"I know the love is there, too. No doubt about it. But after having to face your own mortality, it stands to reason you might feel like you have to rush into something that you might otherwise have waited a few more years to do."

"After talking to JT yesterday, I'm confident that's not the reason," Snake countered.

Next came a moment of silence as Spike was surprised to only now learn of this conversation. Then she stood up.

"You've known about this?" Spike asked accusingly. "What happened? Did JT come and ask for your blessing, and then you just happened to forget to mention it to me?"

"Nothing so melodramatic," Snake replied. "And nothing old-fashioned like asking for my blessing. The subject of marriage or a proposal never even came up. Although him proposing to Emma last night does put the talk we had in a clearer perspective."

"Then maybe you can help clear it up for ME," she requested brusquely.

"JT came by the school yesterday morning. We talked about a number of things. Some silly, some serious. His main goal seemed to be to make sure I knew he was doing all right and staying on top of things. His recovery, finances, the business… And especially his relationship with Emma. It was as though he wanted to make sure I still believed in him after everything that had happened to him. Hearing about last night's proposal, I'm thinking that, in addition to confirming my confidence in him, perhaps it was also his way of assuring me that things would be okay if and when he asked Emma to marry him."

Calmer, Spike sat back down on the couch beside her husband.

"Okay, so let's say he HAS given this some thought," she conceded. "Why not wait a few years? Emma can start AND finish college. JT can continue to get used to running his own business. They can use the time to really live life, without the responsibilities and effort that goes into making a marriage – especially a new marriage – work."

"They can still work, go to school and live an interesting and fulfilling life while starting a marriage," Snake offered. "I don't believe it's about age so much as it's about the strength and determination of a couple to make it work. After all, there are some couples in their 30s and 40s who have no business being married. And others start off young and it turns out great. Take the couple who went to Degrassi when we were there…Simon and…"

"Alexa," Spike inserted when it was clear her husband couldn't remember the girl's name.

"Right. They got married at an early age. Still together, last I heard."

"So what you're saying is that you're all for Emma and JT getting married."

"I'm saying that I don't foresee it as something tragic if they choose to get married even though they're young," Snake clarified. "I also think this whole debate is premature. We don't know for certain what decision Emma will make."

He thought for a moment and then started to laugh slightly.

"What?" Spike asked.

"If Emma says 'Yes' to JT, just promise me you're not going to be like the hysterical women in all those movies and TV shows. The kind that run from the back of the church down the aisle screaming right at the moment when the minister is about to pronounce the couple husband and wife."

"Not funny," Spike said, rolling her eyes. "Of course I wouldn't do anything remotely like that. This decision is hers to make and theirs to live with. But that doesn't mean I can't offer them my opinion."

At the Yorke home, JT stood outside looking over at Alex. He took a deep breath, trying to comprehend what he'd just been told.

"Well," he finally said moments later, "I guess they can't keep anyone from escaping nowadays."

"I never said he got out," she clarified. "I went to see him. Visitation."

Though it was quick, Alex could hear what sounded like a sigh of relief on JT's part.

"So he sent you here with some message for me?" JT asked, trying to sound confident. "Knowing him, I bet it's something clichéd like, 'Watch your back. I got people on the outside who can deal with you.'"

"Nobody sends me anywhere," Alex declared. She then paused and almost smiled. "Though that quote does sound like something stupid he'd say if he's had too much to drink."

"Not to be rude – though right now I don't really care if I am or not – but why are you here?"

"I guess you know just how long he's going to be locked up in there, right?" Alex answered with a question of her own.

"I heard," JT replied. "A long time. Not as long as I would've liked, but enough for me to be okay about the whole thing."

"Jay thought for sure you were going to try to keep him from getting to work out a deal," Alex then remarked.

"His confession and the quick deal that came out of it meant I didn't have to spend time in a courtroom watching him make excuses or even try to deny what he did."

"Jay didn't say anything, but I think he was surprised that you never came around to gloat over his being behind bars."

"That's one of the many differences between him and me," JT commented. "Also, unlike him, I'm not a worthless piece of crap. But that's a given. The point is that I'm too busy living my life to waste any of it having one more conversation with him."

This was a rare moment in Alex's life when she didn't have an immediate response to offer. Not that JT's hostility surprised her. The fact was that debating Jay's worth – or lack of it – was not why she had shown up, and she didn't believe that it was something worth discussing.

"So again," JT continued, "why are you here?"

"To let you know that Jay gets it," she revealed. "Or at least he's starting to. It's been years since I've seen him act so quiet and…I don't know…so…aware…as he was when I was talking to him today. Like he gets it that this is all really happening to him and that he finally went too far. Probably helps that he's got nobody left to try to impress and nothing to drink that's going to help him believe he's got some kind of great life."

"Somebody cue up the sad violin music," JT remarked sarcastically.

"I know how it sounds. But I've known the guy most of my life and…"

"Hold up," JT interrupted. "Tell me you're not going to go into a monologue about what a wonderful child he was up until something traumatic happened, and that it's not his fault that he turned out the way he did."

"Nothing like that," Alex responded. "Even when we were kids he could be a real prick a lot of the time."

Hearing that, JT couldn't help but laugh briefly.

"But he's had his good moments, too. Not that he ever makes it easy for most people to notice. Hey, he's my ex, so it's not like I think he's some great person or anything. But I'd never call him evil, either."

"That's okay," JT remarked. "I have a couple of scars underneath this shirt that are only too happy to call him evil."

"Trust me, I'm not here to make a case for him. I just wanted you to know that what he did to you HAS had an effect on him. Way down the road when he finally does get out, he's not going to be coming back to find you or get some type of revenge."

"Don't take it personally, Alex, but I'm sure I'll still try to get some sort of restraining order against him when that day comes. I know that lots of people have it in them to act like human beings. To maybe reform. For some I'm sure it's buried deep inside them, but they can do it if they really want to. Then there are people like him. He can rot in that prison for all I care, because from birth to death people like him are who they are. Nothing more. And they'll never change."

JT pause for a moment and thought about what he'd just said.

"Wow," he then remarked in a more light-hearted tone. "That was deep. Maybe almost getting killed makes a person sound more profound."

"You never know," Alex said in a similarly less serious tone, choosing not to argue with JT on his belief about Jay's potential.

"One last question for you," JT then said. "Even if all of what you're saying is true, why do you care about not wanting me to worry about him coming back and maybe trying some sort of samurai sword stabbing sequel years from now?"

"JT, I may not like a lot of people, but I don't lie to them. Just know that despite everything Jay's done, it really is all over. And no one else but me knows him well enough to tell you that and be certain of it."

There was another moment of silence before JT spoke up.

"You're very unusual," he noted.

"That's a new one," Alex joked. "Most people just call me a bitch. Not that I ever complain about it. I've worked hard for that title."

JT rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to laugh.

"Now that I've said what I came here to say, I'm out of here."

"You're not going to keep visiting him are you?" JT asked as Alex walked down off the stoop. "He IS your ex. Plus, you don't seem dumb, so I can't picture you being like those crazy women you read about who decide to write love letters to serial killers hoping to marry them some day despite the prison bars."

"All true," she conceded. "But if you and the blonde ever broke up…is there anything she could do – no matter how bad a screw-up it is – that could get you to turn your back on her forever?"

As Alex expected, JT couldn't imagine such a possibility and therefore didn't have a response.

"Believe it or don't, but it's good to see that you're back on your feet."

After saying this, Alex walked past JT and down the steps, heading toward the car she had parked on the street along the curb.

As Alex started to drive home, she couldn't get her earlier encounter with Jay out of her mind. Even during their most open and honest moments together throughout the years, she had never seen him look so vulnerable and eager to see a friendly face. It almost made her wish she had visited him sooner. Almost.

The two hadn't spoken in months. She'd given up on him at the same time Sean had. She didn't feel the same regrets that Sean did about the group's activities, and thus never felt like going around trying to make amends to people the way he had. Instead, she walked away because if Jay was going to start using violence on people who had things he wanted, it might not be much longer before he turned that behavior toward her. That was not going to be an option.

Still, they had been close for so long. Alex didn't know which felt worse. Cutting ties with Jay, or the fact that he didn't seem to care in the least once she did. She hadn't looked back even once, though.

But then came that unforgettable night when police officers showed up at her door asking if she knew of Jay's whereabouts. He'd been accused of stabbing Sean's best friend. Possibly killing him. It didn't surprise her that Sean would send the police in her direction to look for information. She was actually surprised to realize Jay HADN'T sought her out, either for help or just as someone he could boast to.

Alex was certain others would doubt it, but she was genuinely glad when she learned that JT had survived. As furious as she was that Jay had finally crossed the line, she didn't want him to actually be a murderer.

In the weeks since the assault, Jay had tried once to contact her, but she refused to speak to him. It was only now, with the all the dust settled, that she had decided to go see him. She'd expected to see the usual smug grin on his face, and then she would call him a complete ass and walk out of his life forever. Again.

However, the expression on Jay's face this day was anything but smug. She didn't feel sorry for him. Not after what he'd done to both JT and to himself. But this was still her friend since childhood, and she couldn't bring herself to hate him. They talked for awhile, and she felt like it was the first real, meaningful conversation they'd had in years. It made her all the more annoyed that it took prison walls for the decent side of him to resurface.

Leaving the prison, she felt like she had to seek out JT. Alex never liked to admit to having feelings of guilt. She tried to live her life on her terms and whatever mistakes she made were hers to deal with and move on. And while she certainly placed all the true blame for this situation on Jay, a small part of her kept returning to the same notion.

The two of them had always tried to look out for one another. Alex thought – right or wrong – that if she had at least remained on friendly terms with Jay after the break-up, things would have turned out different. She felt that there was at least a somewhat better chance that he wouldn't have gotten caught up in the stupid mindset of believing he could stab someone almost to death just because that person was neither impressed nor scared at the very mention of the name Jay Hogart.

As strange as it seemed, Alex needed to see JT. To let him vent about Jay if he wanted to. To try to assure him that, based on what she saw at the prison, the Jay that hurt him was never going to be a problem for him again. To get some sense that he was doing okay after what Jay had done.

Her encounter with JT left her feeling that he would be all right. And that perhaps these guilt-like feelings – which she was certain couldn't actually be guilt – would now subside.

Also, while she wasn't going to make a habit of visiting Jay, she knew she would never be able to completely cut all ties with him. For better or worse, she was his friend. And he was hers.

Coming to a stoplight, Alex checked her rear-view mirror and then shook her head.

"Hula hoops for guinea pigs? These earrings aren't THAT big."

Back at the Yorke home, once Alex was out of sight, JT unlocked his front door and went inside. Shutting and locking the door behind him, he took a deep breath. Then he smiled.

'I did it,' he thought. 'Okay, so she wasn't here to hurt me, but I didn't know that at first. I stayed calm. Didn't try to play it safe and not say what I felt like saying. I didn't crumble. Even worked in a little humor. After everything that's happened… I'm still me!'

Eager to share this feeling of accomplishment, JT walked over to the bar to pick up the phone. But then he remembered Emma's request. No calling her. Calls mean pressure.

'When she's ready to talk, she'll get in touch.'

She hadn't tried to reach him on his cell, and he noticed that no messages had been left on the answering machine even though he had been gone all day.

This had ended up being a completely Emma-free day. He wasn't used to those and he wasn't particularly in favor of them. Still, he refused to feel discouraged. He knew that everything was finally coming together.

Later on at the Nelson/Simpson home, Snake was asleep while Spike lay next to him still awake. Her thoughts were interrupted as she could hear the front door open and close downstairs. Knowing that it had to be Emma, Spike returned to her thoughts. She had things she wanted to say, but it would all have to wait until her daughter opened up the subject for discussion. For now, Spike chose to remain silent. Silent but curious.

Down in the kitchen, meanwhile, Emma stood there thinking that perhaps she should have accepted Manny's offer to drop her off at JT's place instead. Still, she believed that coming home was the right decision. She knew how she wanted to handle this and was determined to stick to it.

'Tomorrow, Jamie,' she thought to herself. 'I just hope that you… No. I know I'm doing the right thing.'

**Next Chapter –** Tomorrow is here!


	65. Tell Him

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes: **The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes that came after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

Chapter 65 -- Tell Him

It was only a few minutes after one o'clock on Monday afternoon when Emma pulled into TMD's parking lot. Getting out of her car, she paused, took a deep breath and then walked in the direction of the front doors. Once inside she made eye contact with Amanda, who was behind the concession counter tending to the next customer in line.

"Hey Amanda," Emma greeted as she neared the counter. "Is JT still here?"

"Hi Emma," Amanda said while getting change from the cash register. "Yes, JT's in his office…"

"Thanks," Emma responded, walking away from the counter before Amanda could finish her sentence.

Emma turned toward the hallway leading to the office. While she was walking down the hall, Spinner nearly bumped into her as he hurriedly exited the men's restroom.

"Sorry about that," he offered as he stopped.

"No problem," she assured. "Hey, I'm not sure what JT's schedule is like today. Has he already been to lunch?"

"He didn't go out," Spinner informed her. "He's in his office eating right now. But it's a business lunch because he's in a meeting. Well, I guess it still counts as a business lunch even though they're just having a couple of hot dogs."

"Oh," Emma said, sounding disappointed.

"But if you want, just wait a couple minutes. When I stuck my head in the office a minute ago to tell him I was leaving to go to lunch, it sounded like they were almost done."

"I'll do that. Thanks Spinner. Have a good lunch."

"We will," he told her enthusiastically, ready to get to his intended destination.

As Spinner walked down the hallway and out the back door to the employee parking area, Emma decided to head back to the counter to purchase something to drink while she waited.

In his office, meanwhile, JT was taking the last bite of his hot dog.

"I'm going to need some time to think about it, JT."

JT rolled his eyes in response as he looked across his desk at Ellie, who had already finished her hot dog.

"What is it with women and needing time?" he asked jokingly. "That seems to be the only answer I'm getting from them lately."

"I like the idea you laid out," she acknowledged.

"Thanks Ellie. Yesterday I needed to clear my head, so I decided to start thinking about a good premise for the TV ad. I went out for a long drive that afternoon, but my mind was one big blank. Finally, I was getting hungry and decided to stop at a little burger place on the other side of town before heading home. While I was inside eating, out the window I could see a reporter and a cameraman from your TV station on the corner doing quick interviews with people passing by."

"I know what you're talking about," Ellie nodded her head. "The news department puts together these 'Person On The Street' features from time to time to get people's take on the various issues of the day. It gets people thinking, and the segments make for good filler on slower news days."

"It got me thinking," JT recalled. "I already like to get customers' opinions. So why not let some of the customers tell the commercial watching public what they think is good about TMD?"

"Sounds like it would be much better than typical commercials, which are basically unfunny 60-second skits with silly jingles."

"With people who sound like they're reading straight from a script," JT agreed. "Instead, this ad is just going to feature real customers with real comments, mixed in with some establishing shots of both the inside and outside of the building."

"Capped off with your voice-over giving out the address and other general information," she summarized.

"Also," he continued, "I'm thinking that at some point it might be good to show the names of some of the recent films that have played here. But that's not a definite."

"I'm surprised you don't want to make an on-camera appearance," Ellie then suggested.

"I would have, but – being my own boss – I couldn't negotiate the right deal with myself. You know how diva-like us stars can be. I was demanding too much money, plus my own trailer. So I had to turn myself down."

Ellie laughed, and not for the first time since she'd come into the office. It was apparent to her that JT was starting to feel more comfortable, both within this building and in general. She sensed that – without forgetting any of what had happened to him – he was a man eager to resume moving forward with his life.

"JT, I'm flattered that you want me to be one of the ones to comment about this place…"

"One of the primary ones," he emphasized.

"But you know I'm much more of a behind-the-scenes type," Ellie continued. "Even though this wouldn't be live, and it's just giving an opinion rather than working from a script… I don't know."

"This place isn't mainstream. Who better than someone with a style all her own to speak about it? You've always had a high opinion of TMD, Ellie, and I think it would be great to have you take part in this. But if you're not comfortable doing it, don't worry about it. It was just a thought. No pressure."

"Thanks."

"Of course, if you turn me down, I'll be forced to buy a red wig for Spinner and put HIM in front of the camera. And nobody wants that."

"But no pressure," she remarked sarcastically.

"Of course not," he said, trying to sound serious.

Ellie groaned and then they both laughed.

"I'll think about it, but I'm not making any promises."

"Not a problem," JT responded, genuinely serious this time.

"And regardless of whether I'm in it or not," she added, "I think you've got the makings of a very good ad."

After another minute of light conversation, Ellie left JT's office. Making her way down the hallway, she saw Emma heading in her direction. Emma, cup in hand, noticed Ellie walking towards her. Though the two women had come to an understanding of sorts while JT was in the hospital, they hadn't spoken to one another since his release.

"Hi," Ellie was the first to speak up.

"Hello," Emma returned.

Now within a few feet of one another, both stopped walking.

"How are…things?" Emma asked, stopping short of actually asking about Ellie personally.

"Good," Ellie answered. "Things are good. And with you?"

"They're good," Emma replied. "Very good."

"That's good. I was just in with JT. He seems to be doing good, too."

"Yes, he is. I was just on my way in to see him."

There was a moment of silence as both of them struggled to think of something else to add to this uncomfortable exchange of small talk.

"Well," Emma finally ended the silence, "it was…good…talking to you."

"Yeah. I agree. You have a…um…good afternoon."

Ellie then walked past Emma.

'Sure, THAT wasn't awkward in the least,' Ellie thought as she made her way out of the building.

For her part, Emma was relieved to be done with that encounter.

'There went 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back,' she thought as she reached JT's office.

As usual, his door was open. Still, she knocked on it to announce her presence, not wishing to startle him. Throwing his and Ellie's paper napkins and empty cups into the trash can near his desk, JT looked up upon hearing the knocking.

"Hey," he greeted, pleased to see Emma standing in the doorway.

"Hi. Can I come in? Or is this a bad time?"

"Of course you can come in," he replied cheerfully.

As Emma entered the room and sat down, JT pulled his chair out from behind his desk and rolled it around so that he could sit beside her.

"At first I wasn't sure if you were here to see me or if you'd come to watch a movie and was just passing by."

She looked confused by JT's comment until he pointed to the cup in her hand.

"Ah," she remarked, now understanding his meaning. "No, I heard you were in a meeting so I thought I'd get this while I waited."

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to Ellie and see if she'd be part of the TV spot," JT explained. "As a longtime regular customer, I think she'd be good at vouching for this place."

"Sounds fascinating," Emma said with just a touch of sarcasm. "And the introductory voice-over could be something like, 'Hey Kids! Every day can be Halloween at The Movie Difference. And here comes Ellie Nash, the customer who'll make it seem that way.'"

"Emma…"

"Just a little joke," she assured before deciding it was time to change the subject to the reason why she was there. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about your proposal."

"I'm glad."

"A part of me is still in shock," Emma prefaced. "That was a moment I know I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."

"Me too," JT agreed. "Well, not the part about being in shock. I'm the one who proposed, so of course it wouldn't shock me. But the part about remembering it forever… I'm right there with you."

"And now it's been almost two full days," she continued. "I want you to know that during that time I've given this a lot of thought."

JT nodded, eagerly anticipating what she would say next.

"Perhaps you've used the time to think more about it as well," she added.

That caught JT by surprise and this time he was the one looking confused.

"More time?" he questioned. "Why would I have needed more time?"

"Marriage is a big step, JT," Emma responded. "It would change both of our lives forever."

"You think I don't know that?"

"I'm only saying that there's nothing wrong with you giving this further thought. It's important that you're absolutely certain this is what you want."

"Emma, I'm the one who did the proposing. I think I know my own mind."

"But the timing…this was so sudden."

"We've talked before about getting married someday," he reminded.

"Yes. Someday. But the proposal the other night came as a complete surprise."

"That's kind of the way a good proposal works," JT suggested, smirking. "I guess I could've sent you an e-mail ahead of time to warn you, but then that whole 'element of surprise' thing would've been shot."

"This is serious, JT," Emma cautioned.

"You don't have to tell me that. I know it is. After all, I'm the one being turned down."

"I didn't say I was turning you down," she corrected.

"So you're saying 'Yes,'" he concluded.

"I didn't say that, either."

"Then I'm completely lost here."

"This isn't about me giving an answer," Emma attempted to explain. "Not right now anyway. It's about making sure you're doing what you want to do for the right reasons."

"The right reasons?" JT repeated, looking at Emma questioningly.

"With everything that's happened…I know how easy it might be to start thinking that you need to live every day like it's your last. To hurry up and do something now because you're afraid you won't get the chance later on. That you won't HAVE a later on."

"So you think I'm crazy and that I only want to get married out of fear?" he asked.

"No. But now things are calmer after all the excitement in the restaurant the other night, and I could understand if you were starting to think that maybe it was a case of you wanting to accomplish too much too soon. And if that's what's going on and I…"

Emma didn't finish her sentence. Instead, she didn't say anything else. JT considered responding but he could see in her eyes that there was still more she wanted to say.

"Jamie," she spoke up several moments later. "I'm strong. I like to think of myself as someone who can handle just about anything. And the two of us together? I don't think there's any challenge we can't take on and do a great job with. But if we got married right now because you were concerned that it was now or never…

"Later on…maybe a week, a month or even a year into the marriage…with the assault further in the past and your thoughts clearer, you might come to the realization that marriage isn't really what you want yet. That you should have waited to propose. Maybe you'd start to feel trapped and come to resent me. You are the most important person in my life, and I know for a fact that I wouldn't be strong enough to take seeing a look of contempt in your eyes directed at me."

After she was finished, JT arose from his chair and walked over to the door. He stood there for a moment. In the past, he seldom closed it because he liked the idea of having an open-door policy with both the staff and the customers. Since coming back to work, he'd always kept it open because he was afraid he would feel trapped again, as he did when Jay shut the door minutes before pulling the knife.

But things were changing. JT's confidence had been growing slowly with each new day, and his encounter with Alex the previous night left him feeling even better about himself and what he could handle.

Placing his hand on the doorknob, JT slowly shut the office door. He took a deep breath and turned back around. He walked back toward the desk, but instead of sitting back down beside Emma he stopped in front of her. He reached out and took her hands in his.

"This has been the toughest month of my life," he finally spoke.

Emma wanted to say something, but as JT had earlier, she could see in his eyes that there were things he needed to say without interruption. So she remained silent and attentive.

"But it's also been the best," JT continued. "After all, I'm still here. I'm up and around again. And if it's possible, I feel more alive than ever before.

"Okay, I still have times when I feel a little shaky. Times when I start to remember what happened in this room. Or I think about lying in that hospital bed, and it's almost like I'm back there that first night – complete with the IV and all the smells of the hospital.

"The thing you need to know is that not only are those scary feelings happening less and less, but I've never been scared when it comes to us. What happened to me – and what COULD have happened to me if things had been even worse – is not what made me propose to you. Sure, I guess I could have waited a year, or even five years. I didn't ask you the question because of some kind of fear that I wouldn't get the chance a year from now or five years from now. I asked you because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Officially. You've got to believe that, angel."

Though she had always believed in the sincerity of JT's proposal, now there was no longer any doubt in Emma's mind about the timing of the question. Looking at him and listening to him, she was certain this was what he truly wanted.

"I believe it," she responded.

"That's a relief," he said, pleased that the matter was settled. "By the way, I bought your ring the day before I ended up in the hospital."

"What?" she asked, surprised by this new piece of information. "You mean this whole conversation could have been a lot shorter?"

"Yeah, but isn't it better that we both know you accepted that the proposal has nothing to do with the stabbing because you believed me when I told you…and not because a receipt with the purchase date can prove it?"

"You're right," she answered. "It IS better this way."

Still holding her hands, JT sat down on the end of the desk.

"So, now that everything's cleared up…"

"Well…" Emma interrupted. "Not quite."

Dumbfounded, JT let out a heavy sigh.

Meanwhile several blocks away, Spinner and Liberty were sitting at a table in Lem Sung's. They had just received their orders. Spinner was having the chicken stir-fry, while Liberty had selected the pepper steak.

"So I was able to get copies of 6 issues of the university's newspaper from last semester," Liberty resumed speaking after their waiter had left. "They were okay. Nothing to be ashamed of."

"But they were missing The Van Zandt Touch," Spinner guessed.

"I like that," she smiled. "I'll admit it didn't take me long to find several things that I would change about the layout and the editorial coverage to make the paper better."

"How about…"

"The sports section is well done," Liberty answered before he could even complete the question. "I think you'd appreciate it."

"How did you know I was going to ask about the sports?"

"I'd like to think that, even in such a relatively short time, I've gotten to know you fairly well at this point," she replied with confidence. "Call it a hunch."

"I know the feeling. Which is why I bet you'll find a way to take over as editor of that paper before your first semester is over."

"Nice idea, but that's extremely ambitious even for me."

"Says the woman who got to be editor of The Grapevine her very first year at Degrassi," he reminded her.

"True, but it helped that the Grade 12 who was editor was dropped during the second week of school because of a typo in a headline."

"For just one typo? Sounds brutal."

"Well, it was considered a major error on his part," she remembered. "The headline was supposed to say 'Principal Raditch Wins Award.' Only there was a word misspelled, and this editor didn't catch it."

"'Principal?'" Spinner assumed. "I never could remember which spelling to use for that."

"No, that wasn't the word. It was 'Raditch.' Misspelled with a 'b' instead of a 'd.'"

Spinner sat still for a moment thinking about it. Then he realized the exact nature of the error.

"So you mean it actually showed up on the page as…"

"'Rabitch,'" Liberty revealed, confirming what she knew he must have figured out. "Printed in big bold letters."

"I love it," he remarked. "Wish I'd seen that. I never really looked at the paper much outside of the sports page. No offense."

"None taken. So he was quickly dropped from the paper. And despite being the youngest person on staff, I was the only one willing to take on the responsibility and become the new editor."

"And you held your own and kept the title all six years you were there. The newspaper version of an ultimate champion. Very cool."

"You flatter me. It's all true, of course, but still flattering to hear."

Her joking remark made them both laugh. Afterward, Liberty picked up her chopsticks and began eating. Spinner, fork in hand, studied her.

"Liberty, how long have you been able to use chopsticks?" Spinner asked after taking a bite of his food. "Since the first time we had Chinese that day in JT's office, I noticed that you're really good with those things."

"Thanks. I suppose my mom taught me when I was a little girl. I've been able to use them for as long as I can remember."

"I never could get them to work right," he confessed. "Now if I could put them in a pencil sharpener, I'd at least be able to get them pointy enough to where I could jam them into the food and eat it all like a shish kabob. But that still wouldn't work for the rice."

"The main thing to remember," she explained, "is you really only move one of the two sticks around. You use that one to get the food into position against the still one so that you're able to grasp the food."

"Maybe someday when we have more time, you can give me lessons."

"Chopsticks 101? Sounds like fun."

"But I've gotta warn you…I was never the quickest student in the class."

"Gavin, I think you're in a class all by yourself."

"Thanks. Wait…You're saying that in a good way, right?"

Spinner was relieved when Liberty answered positively and then he resumed eating, while she watched him and smiled.

Back at TMD, JT looked at Emma while trying to figure out what could be left that they needed to clear up.

"But I thought we took care of your concern," he said.

"That was my concern about you and your possible concerns," she responded. "There's still the matter of my concern about myself."

"About yourself?"

"About myself and money," she clarified. "Or the lack of very much of it."

"I don't get it."

"You know I'll be taking classes this Fall," Emma started to explain. "In fact, that's mostly due to the scholarships I got. And even though I plan to continue working a few hours a week, it's not like I'd be able to contribute equally to our finances. It would likely be a long time before I could even come close."

"I'm not worried, Emma," JT declared. "By the time we're 30 you'll be this nationally syndicated columnist, and all the major publishers are going to offer you these big book deals. So I'll be able to retire young and enjoy a life of sun bathing by the pool in the backyard of our huge mansion while you're busy typing up your next award-winning masterpiece.

"You're nuts, you know that?"

"As long as I'm not a cashew," he joked. "Because whenever you say 'cashew,' it just sounds like you're sneezing."

"JT…"

"Sorry Emma. I know this is serious. Don't stress about this. You'll contribute what you can when you can. This isn't the kind of thing where we compete and keep score.

"I promise you: once we get things organized with a joint account and everything, you'll see that we'll be okay financially. I don't mean we'll be rich. But we're not going to have any trouble paying for the things we need. You know, things like rent, food, bail money for whenever you get arrested during those rowdy protest demonstrations. The essentials."

Emma smiled. Even after all these years of knowing JT, she still marveled at his ability to be both serious and comedic at the same time. Sometimes within the same sentence.

"And not counting all the money talk," he added, "you contribute a lot. More than I can ever tell you."

Emma studied the young man in front of her for a moment. On this day he'd managed to satisfy her primary concerns. There was nothing left to keep her from giving him the response she'd wanted to give all along.

Except for one thing.

"Ask me again," Emma requested.

"Ask you what?"

"You know," she urged. "The question that I need to be asked in order to give you the proper response."

"Oh, THAT question."

"Yeah."

"Sorry Emma," he teased. "That whole thing where I get down on one knee while saying all sorts of wonderful things… That was a one-time-only deal."

"You're determined to make me suffer," she concluded.

"Would I do something like that?" JT asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Absolutely. But I suppose fair is fair."

Emma got up from her chair and this time she got down on one knee.

"JT Yorke, I love you. Will you…repeat the question you asked me the other night so I can give you a different answer this time around?"

"How can I refuse?" he kidded her before pulling her up by her hands.

Once Emma was on her feet again, JT wrapped his arms around her waist.

"JT Yorke Proposal, Take 2," he announced, making her smile. "Emma, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Emma answered, this time without a second of hesitation.

"Would you mind repeating that?" he asked in a lighthearted tone.

"My answer is 'Yes,'" she gladly confirmed as tears of happiness formed in her eyes. "I would love to marry you."

"Good. Just wanted to double-check."

JT was then about to make another humorous comment but decided that what he'd rather do is seal this momentous occasion with a kiss. And Emma, in no hurry to be out of his arms, didn't mind in the least.


	66. Let Nothing Come Between You

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply.

****

Chapter 66 - Let Nothing Come Between You

Early Monday evening, Emma and JT were at her house, happily focused on one another. Snake was inside with Jack, so the newly engaged couple had decided to enjoy some time alone, sitting outside on the back steps while waiting for Spike to get home.

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to focus on work after you left my office this afternoon?" JT asked after the pair had completed a lengthy kiss.

"Probably about as hard as it was for me to think about helping put together the new brochures at my job this morning," Emma related. "All I had on my mind was how things might go once I came to talk to you."

"By the way, I got a call from Manny about a half-hour after you left."

"I figured you might," she responded. "She'd come over yesterday and we talked about a lot of what was going on. So after I left your office I wanted to go ahead and tell her how it all turned out. I'd say she was happy for us."

"That's an understatement," JT remarked. "We only spoke for a few minutes, but she made it very clear that she was pleased. I think she even squealed a couple of times."

"No doubt," Emma said. She was pleased with – and not surprised by – their friend's enthusiasm. "Anyway, so far Manny's the only one who knows. And I think it's important that my mom and Archie are the next to find out."

"I agree."

"You see, JT? If you just keep agreeing with me, we'll end up having the happiest marriage ever."

JT rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, but soon they were both laughing.

"Very funny, Mrs…"

He stopped and thought for a moment.

"Hey," JT soon resumed speaking, "after we're married, what do you think you'll call yourself?"

"Well, I've always been partial to 'Emma,'" she responded with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "It's been good enough for the last 18 years. Why change it now?"

"I mean for the last name," he explained.

"I know what you meant," Emma teased.

"It's just that you have a lot of choices. Of course there's my last name. Or you could stick with your last name. Then there's always that whole thing where you string a bunch of names together with dashes in between. But if you do that, then every time you have to take a test or fill out a form, you'll never have enough room to put your whole name."

"I've already considered my options, JT, and…"

Before Emma could finish her sentence, though, they noticed her mother pulling into the driveway. Getting out of her car, Spike watched as the young couple stood up.

"Hey kids," she greeted pleasantly, choosing to remain casual.

"Hey Mrs. N.," JT returned.

"Hi Mom. I see you survived another Monday."

"Barely," Spike kidded. "How are things around here?"

"Great," Emma replied.

The couple was holding hands, which didn't surprise Spike. But she did note the extra excitement in her daughter's voice.

"So…do you two have something planned that you'd care to tell me about?"

It was only after she'd started to ask the question that Spike realized she'd made the leap from casual to pushy without even meaning to.

"I mean about dinner," she quickly backpedaled. "If the two of you don't have any plans… I'm not cooking tonight, but we have all sorts of take-out coupons at our disposal."

"One thing that's fun to do sometimes if you're not sure what you want," JT suggested, "is to toss your various take-out menus so they're spread out on the table, close your eyes, point to one, and that's where you're getting your meal. Then, just open your eyes and you've got a nice surprise. That is, unless you've somehow managed to pick the same place several times in a row. Then you should try for best 2 out of 3."

"I'll have to try that sometime," Spike said as she opened the door and walked into the house.

"Thanks for the invite," JT offered while he and Emma followed Spike inside. "But Emma and I already have plans."

"No problem," Spike assured.

With all three now in the kitchen, Emma knew it was time.

"But we wanted to talk to you first," she spoke up. "You AND Archie."

"Oh," Spike answered simply. "Of course."

Spike wondered if this forthcoming conversation was about what she thought it might be about. About the proposal she's overheard her daughter discussing with Manny the previous afternoon. She noticed that Emma didn't have an engagement ring on her finger, but she understood that didn't necessarily mean anything. As much as Spike already knew, she was eager to learn more. She was also still determined to refrain from commenting until she knew the whole situation.

Going into the living room, the three saw Snake coming down the stairs. After greeting his wife, he explained that Jack was now up playing in his room until dinner. He wasn't surprised when Spike explained that Emma and JT wanted to talk with them.

Soon, the elder couple was sitting on the couch, JT was in a nearby chair and Emma chose to remain standing. Next to JT with a hand on his left shoulder, she felt a combination of excitement and nervousness about the news they were about to share.

"Don't worry," she began. "Nothing's wrong. But JT and I do have some news. Good news."

Emma looked down at JT and smiled.

"I take that back," she continued, returning her attention to Spike and Snake. "Winning a lottery would be good news. What we've got is great news."

"Come on," Snake urged in a lighthearted tone. "Don't keep us in suspense."

"Okay. Well… Saturday night, JT asked me to marry him."

Snake looked over at his wife, who appeared very interested but so far wasn't jumping in with a response.

"Wow," he decided to speak up.

"But instead of answering my question right away," JT interjected in a humorous tone, "your daughter decided to torture me by getting all sensible and telling me she needed time to think about it."

"The torture was short-lived, though," Emma remarked. "This afternoon we discussed the things that concerned me most, and then I was able to give him an answer. Simply put, we're engaged."

"Engaged," JT repeated. "The word has a nice ring to it.

"JT, tell me you didn't just say that," Emma responded, trying not to smile.

"Hey, no pun about engagement rings was intended," he claimed, knowing Emma wouldn't buy it.

"Yeah right," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, maybe just a little bit intended," he admitted.

Snake was used to the teasing that went on between the young couple, and it was also easy for him to see the love that existed between them. He then thought back to his conversation with JT on Saturday morning and he felt confident that this could work out. Still, he wanted confirmation of something, and since Spike still hadn't commented, he felt it was up to him.

"Based on what you've just explained – and knowing both of you as well as I do – I think I already have my answer, but I want to go ahead and ask it anyway."

"Ask away, Mr. Simpson," JT granted.

"As great as marriage can be," Snake prefaced, "it takes real effort on each person's part to make it the best it can be. It's really a work-in-progress because it's always developing. Hopefully in positive ways. But even the best marriages are not without occasional struggles.

"The two of you have known each other for a long time and have already been through a lot together. So you already have a good foundation to build on. Still, this will be the biggest commitment either of you has ever made. Are you both absolutely sure that this is what you want to do at this point in your lives?"

"Without a doubt," Emma answered without hesitation.

JT nodded in agreement. He then looked over at Spike and was surprised that so far she hadn't said a word.

"I was right about already knowing the answer," Snake then said. "But you know I had to ask."

"It's fine, Archie," Emma cheerfully assured. "I'm glad you're concerned. Just know that this isn't a whim. We know what we're getting into, and we're going to be okay. Better than okay."

"Then let me just say one other thing," Snake requested. "Congratulations! I wish you both nothing but the best."

Emma walked over to the couch, reached down and hugged her stepfather.

"Thanks," she said.

After the hug, Emma looked over at her mother.

"So Mom, what do you think?"

"It's really big news," Spike finally said after one last moment of quiet contemplation.

"That it is," Emma agreed.

"It's great to see the two of you so happy," her mother continued. "I'm just curious… Have you set a date yet?"

"Nothing set in stone," Emma answered. "But we were discussing it this afternoon and we've narrowed it down to the latter half of August."

"August," Spike repeated. "August of THIS year?"

"It made the most sense," Emma explained.

"But this is June. I know you're in love, but what's the rush?"

"We have to," JT spoke up.

Both women looked over at the young man, equally confused.

"You what?" Spike asked.

"JT, you might want to re-word that," Emma suggested.

JT thought for a moment. Then, once he realized what his words must have sounded like, his eyes got bigger.

"Wait," he hurried to clarify. "Not 'have to' as in HAVE to. We're not pregnant. I mean, she's not… I mean… There's no baby in all of this. Sure, I sometimes like a pickle with my ice cream, but that's just me. Not a pregnancy craving. We're both completely babyless."

Snake sat back and worked hard not to laugh as he watched JT's attempt at damage control.

"I mean that we have to because we love each other very much," the young man continued, "and neither one of us is the type to want a long, drawn-out engagement. We know this is right for us."

"The timing is also practical," Emma added. "School starts in September. And while I'm busy with classes during the day, JT is hoping the commercial that airs will bring TMD more business and exposure. Enough so that maybe next year he can put on the theater's first ever film festival. All that, of course, is in addition to his regular day-to-day managerial duties. By getting married in late August, there's still enough time to make arrangements for a nice wedding, find an apartment, get married, go on a wonderfully romantic honeymoon and then get settled into our new home and our great new life together. You know, before we have to start balancing being newlyweds with our school and work responsibilities."

"I couldn't have said it better," JT remarked. "And I think I just proved that a few moments ago."

"Okay," Spike granted, "but I still think it wouldn't hurt to consider waiting. Like you said, there's already so much that's going on in your lives right now. With even more about to happen."

JT was about to respond, but Emma spoke up first.

"Mom, I have to go downstairs and get something. Would you like to come along and help?"

Spike understood that her daughter thought they should talk in private.

"All right," she said as she stood up.

Emma walked back to where JT was sitting.

"I'll be back in a moment," she told the confused young man before giving him a brief kiss.

Once the women had left the room, JT looked over at Snake, who was still sitting on the couch.

"Do you think I should go down there too?" he asked the teacher.

"No," Snake answered calmly. "Everything's fine. You know how open they are with one another. Those two are almost as much like friends as they are mother and daughter. They just need a few minutes alone to talk, which is nothing new."

"I guess you're right."

Snake could tell that JT still appeared uneasy.

"So…all these years and I still don't know…"

"What's that, Mr. Simpson?"

"Can you bowl?"

"What?" JT asked, curious about where this conversation was headed.

"You know…bowling balls, knocking down pins, wearing rented shoes. That sort of thing."

"I bowl almost as well as I play pool," JT declared.

"Really?"

"Don't get too impressed. Just ask Sean. Innocent bystanders have been known to almost get concussions from flying pool balls when I play. Allegedly."

Snake laughed.

"Not to worry, JT. Give me one hour, and I'll have you bowling like a pro."

JT gave him a doubtful look.

"Okay, not really. But I can promise that you won't be the cause of any concussions."

This made JT smile.

"Besides," Snake continued, "it won't be too much longer before Jack is big enough for me to start teaching him how. By then, you'll be ready to help me show him how it's done."

"That would definitely be interesting," JT responded. "But this all sounds like father-son territory, and I don't want to step on anyone's toes."

"If you're talking about Jack's toes, they're safe. You know how Jack feels about you. Not to mention how his mother and I feel."

This was indeed nothing that JT didn't already know.

"Yeah, well…just don't get any ideas that I'll want to wear some special kind of bowling shirt."

"That's what every bowler says at first," Snake jokingly warned.

JT laughed, and Snake was glad that the tension that had been in the air seemed to have left.

"You and Emma are going to be fine," Snake then assured, returning the conversation to more serious thoughts about the impending marriage. "I don't have any doubts about that. But if you ever need anything…"

"I know," JT understood.

JT was pleased, though he wished that Emma's mother was as positive about all of this as Snake was.

Spike, meanwhile, had followed Emma downstairs.

"We didn't really need to come down here to finish this discussion," she said.

"Maybe not," Emma responded, "but I honestly did have to get something from down here and I wanted to show it to you."

Emma then picked up the small box that was on her nightstand. Opening it up, she let her mother look at the ring.

"It's lovely," Spike said softly.

"I haven't tried it on yet," Emma admitted. "And let me tell you, it hasn't been easy. But I'd decided that I couldn't until I'd made up my mind and given JT my answer."

"And now he has it."

"Yes. So later on tonight, I'll let him place this on my finger."

She watched as her mother merely nodded.

"I also thought you and I could talk this out alone down here," Emma continued as she closed the box and held it in her left hand. "Like was said upstairs, I had a number of concerns I needed to work out, both by myself and with JT, before I could accept his proposal. Maybe they're some of the same concerns you're having."

"Maybe," Spike concurred.

"First, you should know that he was already planning to propose before he…before everything that happened to him. So his question wasn't based on fear."

"And what about your answer?" Spike questioned. "I'm not saying it would all be based on some sort of emotional follow-up to what happened. But was any of it?"

"No, Mom," Emma replied with ease. "I'm doing this because it's what's right for me, and because I'm also convinced that it's right for JT. Neither of us is thinking that we need to hurry and get married because of what happened to him. That we almost missed out on many more years together. It's been a scary time, but we're not living our lives based on fear."

"Okay," Spike accepted while sitting down on the side of Emma's bed. "Knowing how much the two of you genuinely love each other, it's not difficult to believe that this is solely based on love. But you're both just out of high school."

"True," Emma interjected, having anticipated the age challenge. "It's not common to get married at such a young age, but it's not unheard of either. We know what we're doing. Or at least as much as any couple does before getting married – regardless of age."

"Em, aren't there things each of you would like to do before taking on the responsibilities that come with marriage?"

"What kinds of things?" Emma asked curiously.

"There's your education, for one."

"I'm still going to university," Emma assured. "Those plans don't change just because I won't be single."

"You also want to be a professional writer," Spike then commented. "Wouldn't you like to do some traveling? See what life is like outside of Toronto? More first-hand life experiences can only be a benefit to a writer. I'm sure there are things that JT would either need or want to do as well. Maybe business trips or conventions. When you're married, you have to learn to take each other's schedules into account. To make compromises that you wouldn't necessarily have to make if you were together but not married."

"Mom, I know what you're saying. But as independent in many ways as JT and I both are, we want to have our big adventures together. If I were going to travel, I'd want him right there with me to share those first-hand life experiences. You could ask JT, and I know he'd say something similar. Though I'm sure he'd say it in a more humorous way than I just did. We're a good team. Any schedule conflicts or compromising won't be too difficult for us to deal with."

"Emma, I just…"

Spike paused for a moment, but continued moments later.

"Your grandmother had to grow up so fast because she had me at such a young age. Then the same thing happened to me. You've managed not to…to carry on the tradition, so to speak. I'm not saying I'm disappointed with my life. Not at all. I run my own business, have a great husband and wonderful son. And a daughter who may have come early into my life but who has also been the best part of my life. But right now you have a level of freedom neither your grandmother nor I had when we were your age."

"I understand," Emma responded calmly.

There had been brief moments in Emma's youth when she thought her mother regretted having her. But she'd long since realized that it was only the timing issue that Spike regretted. She knew that these current concerns were because Spike loved her. That's why it was easy for Emma to be patient.

Patient, but not swayed.

"I also know that marrying JT right now isn't going to limit me," she continued. "You should know. You said as much to me a few weeks ago."

"Did I?" Spike asked, looking confused.

"I asked you if it was unrealistic to try to have it all. You answered by saying that as long as you're willing to put in the effort and also accept the possible struggles and disappointments along the way, then anything is possible."

"Yeah," Spike said, now understanding what Emma was referring to. "I do remember saying something to that effect."

"I had already been thinking about making a proposal of my own to JT when I asked you that question. Then a few minutes after that discussion, Manny came over and told me that JT was on the way to the hospital. I put all of those thoughts to the side, but apparently JT had already been thinking along those same lines. You haven't changed your mind about your answer to that question, have you?"

"No," Spike admitted. "And a part of me knows that the two of you could get married today and likely have a thriving relationship. I just don't want either of you to look back one day and feel like you missed out on certain things because you moved so quickly."

"We won't, Mom. We're only going to be gaining, not missing out. You'll see."

"I look forward to it."

"But in the meantime, do you think you could be a little happy for us? We're not asking for your blessing. But this is an exciting time, and I can't imagine not being able to share it with you."

"I suppose I can take the cautiously optimistic approach," Spike suggested.

"That's a reasonable start," Emma accepted, smiling.

Spike then stood up.

"Well," she said, sounding more enthusiastic than she had been during the rest of their conversation, "it looks like we've got a wedding to put together."

Later on that evening, JT and Emma were at his house. They were sitting together on the couch. Emma, with her head on his shoulder, was extremely relaxed. But JT was still thinking about her mother's initial reaction to their news.

"Okay, I think I've figured out when your mom decided she didn't like me," he announced.

"JT…"

"It was six, maybe seven, years ago," he recalled. "She fixed that tofu casserole thing for dinner one night and I whispered to you that it looked like I already ate it. I bet she overheard me."

Emma rolled her eyes. She didn't recall that particular moment but could certainly picture it in her mind.

"Despite all that," she said as she sat up to look at JT, "you know perfectly well that my mom has never disliked you. Far from it. And she hasn't started to now, either. You heard her when she and I came back upstairs. She made it clear that even though she had those concerns, she was going to support our decision."

"That was just code for 'Eat dirt, Yorke,'" he suggested.

"Yeah? So when she gave you that big hug before we left, what was that a code for?"

JT considered this for a moment but came up with nothing.

"I haven't worked that part out yet," he soon replied.

"JT, your proposal took ME by surprise, so just imagine what a shock all this must have seemed to her. It's a lot to take in right away. I think she's handling it pretty well."

"I guess."

"Anyway, that's enough talk about my mom. The pizza should be here in a little while, and there's something important that needs to happen first."

Emma reached into her purse, which was on the end table next to the couch. Pulling out the small box, she handed it to JT.

"From the moment I first opened this box in the restaurant," she recalled, "I wanted you to put this ring on my finger. And now the time is finally right."

"So you liked the way I proposed?" JT asked.

"Absolutely."

"Good. I hadn't done something like that before."

"I should hope not," Emma kidded him.

"What I mean is…This is new territory for me and I didn't want to mess it up. But I've heard that some guys will hide the ring in the woman's food and let her find it for herself."

"I've read about those kind of scenarios, too. Never sounded particularly romantic to me."

"I know," JT agreed, glad that they were on the same wavelength about this. "To me, it always seemed disgusting. You could accidentally bite down on the ring and break a tooth. Or swallow it and start choking. Or maybe you WOULD spot it. Except now you've got a ring that's been sitting inside whatever you've been eating – in your case, it would've been a piece of cheesecake – and the ring is all sticky. The guy has to say 'Would you take this sticky thing and be my wife?'"

"You're right," Emma agreed after she'd finished laughing. "Not really the ideal romantic gesture you eventually tell your grandkids about. Your way was much better."

Opening the box, JT wasted no time in taking the ring out and slipping it on Emma's finger.

"Beautiful," Emma remarked as she looked down at it.

"Yeah," JT said, looking up at her face. "And the ring's not bad to look at either."

Emma looked up from her hand and fought the urge to kiss him.

"JT, I can't believe you just said that," she instead teased.

"I know it was an easy line," JT jokingly confessed. "But since it's also true, I figured I'd say it anyway. Just promise not to rat me out to the comedy gods."

"I promise," she assured. "Oh, and by the way…Yorke."

"Um…what is it, Nelson?" JT asked, clearly puzzled. "Is calling each other by our last names a part of the engagement process I didn't know about?"

"No silly. You asked me a question earlier, but I didn't get the chance to answer. Now I have."

"Oh," JT responded, trying to sound like he understood. "Of course. Naturally."

"You have no idea what I'm talking about," she stated.

"None at all," he said confidently.

"The last name I'll use once we're married," Emma explained. "I want your name to be my name."

"Really?" JT asked as his smile grew bigger.

"You sound surprised."

"Maybe a little," he admitted. "After all, the walls of Degrassi are still echoing your shouts about feminism from when you were accidentally called 'Emma Simpson' just the one time."

Like JT, Emma remembered that moment quite well.

"Don't worry," she explained. "I'm still consistent in my beliefs. That was a completely different situation, involving the misguided and idiotic assumptions of the school bureaucracy."

"But were they really trying to take away your choices, or did they just make an innocent little goof in the files?"

"Either way, at least I got it straightened out the same day. But as for this case, I'm making exactly the choice I want to make. I know my options in this situation, and I can't think of one I'd like more than to be known as Emma Yorke."

'That sounds great," JT said enthusiastically.

"Of course, I could always take inspiration from my husband-to-be and have people start calling me E.N. Yorke."

"Not so great," he responded, rolling his eyes and making Emma laugh.

She then moved over and sat on his lap.

"So," she said, looking him directly in the eyes and attempting to sound serious, "do you really think you'll be able to stand a lifetime of dealing with a highly opinionated and occasionally pushy woman whose words can echo off walls?"

Wrapping his arms around his fiancée, JT pretended that he had to think about an answer.

"Well…" he finally broke the silence, "What was it you said earlier tonight? 'It's been good enough for the last 18 years. Why change it now?'"

"Very funny…even if you haven't known me a full 18 years."

"Yet," JT replied confidently.

"True," she agreed. "And there'll be many more years after that. Guaranteed."


	67. Hear Ye, Hear Ye

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes: **Major apologies for the unintentionally long delay since the last chapter. First I had computer troubles, then I got sick. Add the usual hectic day-to-day life into the mix and I haven't had much opportunity to continue writing until recently. But things are now back on track as we move closer toward the tail end of this story. Yes, there really IS going to be an ending. However, there are still several chapters, situations and relationships left to deal with. Hope you enjoy the following chapter.

Oh, and now for the obligatory notice… The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. (3-28-07)

Chapter 67 -- Hear Ye, Hear Ye

As Liberty walked through the front door of Ryan's Grille on Tuesday morning, she noticed an old acquaintance sitting at the counter drinking a cup of coffee.

"Ashley?"

Ashley turned her head to see Liberty walking towards the counter.

"Liberty…Hi!" she greeted in a cheerful voice as she set her cup down. "How've you been?"

"Doing well. And yourself?"

"I'm good. Seems like it's been forever since we've talked."

"Indeed," Liberty agreed. "Emma told me awhile back that you're really enjoying the university's drama department."

"That's right. Until last semester, I'd never really considered doing theater. I still think singing is my specialty. But there's just something about playing different kinds of characters. Taking on a brand new identity on a regular basis. I think it suits me."

"I'll have to check out one of your performances this Fall."

"That'd be great," Ashley responded. "Hey, why don't you pull up a stool?"

"Thanks, but I'm meeting JT. He should be here any…"

"Did someone mention my name?" a familiar voice interrupted.

Surprised, the two women turned to see JT standing behind Liberty.

"Yes, it's me," he continued in a lighthearted tone. "Try to hold back your applause or we'll be mobbed by all my fans."

"And exactly how many fans DO you have?" Liberty challenged, playing along.

"Well, that's the catch," JT explained. "You see, all my fans are ceiling fans. So getting mobbed by them could get very dangerous. Especially when they're turned on and you're waving your hands in the air."

"I'm almost afraid to ask how many cups of coffee you've had so far this morning," Ashley remarked once both she and Liberty had finished laughing.

"Still waiting to have my first, actually," he responded.

"Okay, you are far too upbeat for this time of the day."

"Ashley, he's no doubt just getting warmed up," Liberty said knowingly.

She then turned back to JT.

"Is that table okay?" she asked him, pointing toward an empty spot several feet away.

"Fine with me."

JT and Liberty then said goodbye to Ashley and were soon sitting down opposite one another at the table. He noticed that she appeared to be studying him.

"Sorry if I startled you over there," JT offered. "I walked in right when you mentioned my name, so it seemed like the perfect jumping-in point."

"You know I don't startle easily," she declared. "I was just thinking that… No, never mind."

"What?" JT asked curiously.

"It's going to sound silly."

"I doubt that. What is it?"

"I've seen you or we've spoken on the phone any number of times in last few weeks," Liberty prefaced. "But today…just moments ago…you looked happier and more energetic than I've seen you since…well, since everything happened. You look like you're on top of the world, and it's great to see that spark again."

Before JT could respond, Mrs. Ryan approached the pair with breakfast menus in hand.

"Good morning," she greeted. "JT, I haven't seen you around here nearly enough lately. Liberty…how are you holding up, dear?"

Liberty hesitated briefly, but then she gave the woman what JT could tell was a fake smile.

"Just fine, Mrs. Ryan," she answered in a polite tone, "and thanks so much for asking."

"Are the two of you ready to order or would you like time to look at a menu."

"Um…I think we'll need a little time," JT suggested. "So menus would be good."

Mrs. Ryan then handed each of them a menu.

"Just take your time, and I'll be back to check on you soon."

"That would be great," Liberty told her, still smiling.

After the woman walked away, Liberty quickly dropped the fake smile.

"Ever have the urge to call someone a bitch even though in all likelihood that person doesn't deserve it?" she then asked JT.

"Um, I've never really thought about it," JT answered, looking slightly surprised. "I know that I've never heard YOU use that word before. And I always figured if you ever wanted to, you'd just use some 12-letter word instead that means the same thing. I don't know of one, but you probably know a lot more 12-letter words than I do."

"I suppose it's not her fault," Liberty considered. "It stands to reason that she'd take her son at his word, despite its complete lack of worth. It's just grating to hear her talk as though I should be devastated now that her son and I are no longer together."

"So that's what all that 'how are you holding up' business was about?"

"I never told you, but the first time Mrs. Ryan saw me after I had ended things with him, she wanted to assure me that I was always welcome here…and that even though her son had ended the relationship, she was still quite fond of me."

"Wait," JT stopped her, a look of confusion on his face. "She thinks he's the one who dumped you, and not the other way around?"

"Oh yes," Liberty confirmed. "She told me that he had explained the circumstances of the break-up to her. Except his explanation involved saying that I was afraid of commitment, and that he decided the best thing for both of us was for him to let me go. If I cared enough to get worked up about it, I'd have enlightened the woman about her son, but what would be the point? In his mind, that erroneous explanation is no doubt a reality. Best to leave it all in the past."

"Absolutely," JT assured. "I'm a big believer in moving forward."

"I know. It's a good attitude to have. Though I worry about you sometimes, JT. After all you've been through…"

"You should know better than that," JT interrupted. "I'm tip-top. The tip-toppiest, as a matter of fact."

Liberty laughed, but JT could tell that she was still concerned.

"I can't undo what happened to me, Liberty" he said in a more serious tone, "but I'm alive, in one piece and trying to live every moment to the fullest."

"Thus the spark I mentioned a few moments ago," she remarked. "Of course you're also the one who has ALWAYS tried to find the fun and enjoyment in every moment."

"See? So everything's business as usual."

"Just do me one favor."

"Aw, c'mon Liberty…I'm already buying you breakfast today," he teased, trying to sound annoyed. "What more could you want?"

"For you to continue to stay alive and in one piece," she answered seriously. "I don't think any of us could take that kind of scare again."

"You have my personal guarantee, Liberty," JT promised, hoping to reassure her. "The only psycho I know is in prison. And I'm not a character on a TV show, so writers looking to do a cheesy ratings stunt can't kill me off. Life is great. Now, let's see what we want and then order. Because after that, I've got some news for you."

Back at the counter, Ashley was finishing a biscuit when she got a call. Swallowing her last bite, she checked her cell and then answered it.

"Morning El," she answered.

"Hey Ash," Ellie said, speaking from her desk at the TV station. "While I'm on a break, I wanted to let you know I made up my mind. I plan on telling JT that I'll participate in the ad."

"I know when we talked last night you were going back and forth about it," Ashley responded, sounding surprised, "but I really didn't expect you to go ahead and do it."

"You're right. It'll be stepping out of my comfort zone in a big way, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Besides, it's not like I'm promoting the latest brand of peanut butter or doing one of those tacky 'this lawyer got me thousands of dollars' commercials. In my own words, I'll get to explain that The Movie Difference is a great place to see quality films, especially when you need a break from the inane crap showing at every mall and cineplex in town."

"I don't think you're allowed to say the word 'crap' in TV commercials," Ashley joked.

"Really?" Ellie questioned, playing along. "That's it, I quit."

Laughing, Ashley turned her head and happened to see JT and Liberty at their nearby table.

"El, don't get mad," she said, becoming more serious, "but I have to ask… You aren't agreeing to do this as just a way to spend time with JT, is it?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ashley," Ellie replied firmly. "First of all, we already talk on a regular basis. I don't need an excuse to see a friend. Second, I won't be the only one participating in this, so it's not as though it would take up much time even if I did have an ulterior motive. And finally, I've told you before that I put away even the idea of having thoughts for JT that crossed the line beyond friendship. He's completely devoted to someone, and I would never do anything to interfere with that."

"I know you wouldn't," Ashley interjected. "But I also know from personal experience that, regardless of what you've said before, a person can't completely 'put away' feelings. Even though nothing ever came of those feelings, it's not like you can toss them in a box in the back of your closet and forget they ever existed. I just want you to be sure this is something you can do that won't leave you feeling hurt in some way."

"Thanks, Ash. But they ARE put away. In that box. In the back of the closet. Never again to see the light of day. Add to all of this the fact that even though I'm hardly a fan of Emma Nelson, since JT was hurt I can better appreciate the role she plays in his life. Whatever faults she has – and I really don't have the time or interest to list them all – as his girlfriend she's both loyal to and protective of him, and I can't fault her for that."

"All right," Ashley said, recognizing the certainty in her friend's voice. "I'm convinced."

"Good," Ellie responded. "I will admit I probably wouldn't have even considered doing this if he wasn't my friend. But I liked TMD long before our friendship, and I like his ideas for bringing in more customers without sacrificing the things that make going there special."

"Then all I can say is 'have fun.' Do you know when he wants to shoot the ad?"

"No, but it's bound to be in the near future. After all, this is probably one of the biggest things going on in his life right now. If all goes well, I'll stop by TMD on my lunch break and tell him my decision. Maybe he'll have some kind of a time frame in mind."

"What do you mean 'if all goes well?'" Ashley questioned.

"Don't you remember? I said last night that even if I wanted to do this, there would still be one thing I needed to check on first."

The friends soon wrapped up their conversation and Ellie returned to her work. Meanwhile, Mrs. Ryan was leaving JT and Liberty's table, having just taken their orders.

"Here I was expecting you to order yourself some doughnuts and instead you chose blueberry pancakes," Liberty commented to JT once they were alone. "Something is certainly going on with you."

"Blueberries have been good to me, that's all," JT said, remembering how they were part of his recent proposal. "Anyway, it's nice to know I can still keep you guessing."

"So tell me already," Liberty urged. "Is your news related to work or something more personal."

"Well, work IS personal in a way. But not in a bad, workaholic way. And I am meeting Joey Jeremiah for lunch today. Mr. Simpson had suggested it, and I called Joey yesterday morning and set it up. With all the TV ads he's done for his business, he knows good film crews as well as which ones to avoid. But that's not my news. Not even close."

"Do tell…" she encouraged, wondering if her friend's news was what she had started to suspect it might be.

"Okay, okay, enough torture," JT teased. "I invited you to breakfast because you're one of my closest friends and I didn't want to just tell you on the phone. Me and Emma…we're getting married."

Keeping quiet since finding the ring, Liberty had wondered how much longer it would be before there was a new development. Though happy, she wanted to keep her emotions in check for a moment longer.

"Oh?" was her only verbal response.

"Yeah," JT said excitedly. "I asked Emma the other night and yesterday it became official."

"Is that all? I thought you said this was BIG news."

"Seems like major news to me," he protested.

"Not really," she responded, hoping to sound unfazed. "Since the night the two of you finally got together I knew it was inevitable."

Then she smiled.

"No, while it might not make front page headlines, this is certainly big news. Congratulations."

"Thanks," JT said, relieved. "For a moment there I thought you weren't going to reach the appropriate level of enthusiasm."

"It's nice to know I can still keep YOU guessing as well," she kidded him before becoming more serious. "Especially since you HAVE to already know how happy I am for you."

"I do," he confirmed. "Wait…make that 'I know.' Gotta save all my 'I do's' for the wedding."

This made Liberty laugh.

"Now you know public emotional displays aren't my style," she then remarked. "But in this case I've got to make an exception. You're getting a hug."

"Hey, couldn't we just wave to each other from across the table?" he joked, knowing she understood he was only kidding with her.

"Are you sure Emma knows what she's getting herself into by marrying a would-be comedian?" Liberty teased him in return.

"Hey…" JT pretended to be offended. "That's would-be comic genius, thank you very much."

"My mistake," Liberty offered sarcastically.

Moments later, Liberty got up, and then JT stood up as well and met her half way.

"This is a wonderful thing, JT. You know that I wish both of you only the best."

As the friends hugged, Liberty thought about how happy she was for JT. For Emma as well. But recently she had started to wonder whether JT had decided to put proposing on hold following the assault. So she was very glad that he wasn't letting his bad experience deprive him of what she knew he truly wanted.

Liberty was also looking forward to talking to Spinner about this new development, considering they had both known about the ring for awhile and managed to keep it to themselves. Then again, these days Liberty found that she looked forward to any and all interactions she had with Spinner.

What had gone unnoticed, though, was that in the excitement of the moment, Liberty's voice had gotten slightly louder and, sitting several feet away at the counter and about to leave, Ashley unexpectedly overheard her comment about Emma marrying JT. Though pleased for the couple, Ashley's thoughts soon turned to Ellie. Even if the redhead had truly comes to terms with her feelings for JT and was happy with their friendship, Ashley believed this news could still be unsettling for her.

Ashley briefly considered calling Ellie back to let her know but decided that, despite her concern, she simply wasn't comfortable getting involved. Besides, she was fairly certain Ellie would find out from JT himself if she talked to him at lunchtime as she was intending. Then if she felt the need to talk about it later on, Ashley would be glad to lend a friendly ear.

The morning eventually gave way to midday, which found Manny sitting on the couch in the Nelson-Simpson living room thumbing through a bridal magazine she had brought over.

"Okay, that's done," Emma announced as she entered the room from the kitchen. She had just gotten off the phone with her boss, explaining how much she had been able to accomplish that morning.

"I don't see how you were able to concentrate long enough to get any work done today," Manny remarked, laying the magazine down beside her.

"I assure you, it wasn't easy," Emma said while glancing down at her ring and smiling. She then noticed the magazine on the couch. "Already buying research materials, I see."

"Only the one," Manny explained. "I saw it yesterday afternoon while I was in line at the checkout counter and I couldn't resist. It was either that or the tabloid with the headline about the wolf boy from Neptune that's now sharing a condo with two women in Concord."

"I can't believe rags like that are still able to make money in this day and age," Emma complained. "Then again, JT would probably get a kick out of reading that story for the humor value."

"And of course he also knows genuinely good writing when he sees it."

Emma nodded in agreement, thinking about her fiancé's continued appreciation of her writing. That gave way to thoughts about their upcoming marriage, and the enthusiasm was evident on her face.

"Manny, a part of me still can't believe this is really happening."

"I know," her friend agreed. "It's a little strange to think that in just a couple of months you're going to be a married woman. But it's a good kind of strange. Like I said yesterday, I'm very happy for both of you."

"Thanks. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up any minute now and the last few days will all have been a dream."

"Don't worry," Manny said cheerfully. "This is all very real."

As Emma sat down on the arm of the couch near Manny, a thought came to her.

"You know, the one thing that would make all of this even more perfect is if JT's mother could have been here. I know she would have been really happy for us. She also would have had fun finding subtle ways to say 'I told you so.'"

"She's here in spirit," Manny offered.

"You're right."

"And on the big day, I'm sure she'll be looking down, very proud, as you're escorted down the aisle to her son. Even though she'd probably be even happier if she could have made your wedding gown."

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "She'd…"

She paused suddenly, leaving Manny confused.

"Wait," she resumed after thinking for several moments. "What's this about being escorted down the aisle?"

"You know," Manny began in an attempt to explain, sounding as though it should be obvious what she meant. "After the bridesmaids have walked down to the front. Then the father…or father figure…walks the bride down the aisle and gives her away."

"Hold on," Emma said, looking as though she was struggling to grasp this concept. "This is the 21st century, right? Don't tell me I've been mistaken about that all this time."

"You're not mistaken, but…"

"So you're saying some people still do that at weddings?"

"All the time, Em."

"Next you'll tell me that dowries are still all the rage," Emma remarked, rolling her eyes.

"What?"

"A dowry was supposed to be the incentive that sealed the deal back in the old days, especially when it came to arranged marriages. The husband-to-be wouldn't just be getting a bride, but also some item or items considered of great value. Like a piece of land. Or maybe a prize-winning goat. Marriages were more like business deals between the families, and if the couple happened to love each other, that was just a bonus. For the most part, a bride was only as good as the stuff that came along with her."

"That's definitely an insane concept," Manny agreed. "But nowadays the idea of giving the bride away isn't like that at all."

"Isn't it?" Emma questioned. "Just the phrase…giving the bride away…it's enough to give you chills. It's as though no matter how much progress women make in this world, in certain ways society in general still considers us little more than property. You don't walk a woman down the aisle as though she's incapable of moving perfectly well on her own two feet. And you don't claim to give her away as though she's first prize in some raffle."

"It doesn't mean all that, Em. It's just a harmless tradition showing the movement from one part of your life to the next."

"If that's what it meant, we'd see women being 'walked down the parking lot' to their first job and 'given away' to their new employer,'" Emma countered. "That's assuming, of course, that women who can be given away are allowed to hold meaningful jobs of their own choosing."

"So I take it that's a 'no' on being walked down the aisle?" Manny attempted to sum it up.

"This bride doesn't need anyone to give her away," Emma declared. "I'll walk down the aisle on my own. Not as a property, but a person…a person moving freely toward the man she loves."

"Got it."

Manny felt this was further confirmation of how happy her newly engaged friend was since, even though Emma was adamant in her opinion, she actually remained calm throughout the discussion. She hadn't raised her voice or shown signs of getting into uber-protest mode. Manny hoped it was also a sign that perhaps Emma would eventually change her mind and not forsake this wedding tradition.

"Are you ready to go to lunch?" Emma then asked.

"Sure," Manny replied.

They both got up from the couch. Emma grabbed her keys from her purse while Manny grabbed the bridal magazine and the pair walked toward the front door.

"Hey, speaking of wedding gowns, any ideas what you're going to do for one?" Manny asked. "After all, you don't have a lot of time to decide."

"Nothing definite yet," Emma replied as they reached the door. "Mom said I could always wear hers, though I'm sure it would need alterations."

"Or JT could always dust off his old sewing kit and get back into master designer mode and fix you something original," Manny joked as they walked outside.

"I think it's supposed to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding," Emma suggested while locking the front door. "So can you imagine the bad luck we'd have if it was up to the groom to actually create the dress?"

"True. And if you're going to do that, you might as well walk under a ladder on your way down the aisle."

"Hey, I could always let a black cat walk me down the aisle."

"Emma…"

"Well, at least that way we'd know it wouldn't cross my path," Emma joked.

Manny rolled her eyes but still ended up laughing as they walked toward her car parked along the curb.

"Emma, I think you're definitely ready to become a Yorke."

Meanwhile, at a television station several miles away, Ellie was sitting in Caitlin Ryan's office. She had just finished explaining the concept of JT's commercial and what her participation in it would be.

"It sounds great, Ellie."

"But my concern is, if I agree to do it, would there be any kind of conflict of interest problems?"

"None that I can think of," Caitlin answered. "You work for me and my show rather than directly for the station's news department. Besides which, you're not an on-camera part of the show. Now if we ever do a story on local theaters, I might let someone else handle the particulars. But that's only so I can avoid even the slightest headache-inducing conversation with upper management, not because I in any way question your objectivity. Since you don't have an exclusive contract with the show, you really didn't even have to ask me if this would be okay, but I do appreciate the thoughtfulness."

"Thanks Caitlin."

"Think you're ready to be seen on television sets all over town?"

"Trust me, this is a one-time-only deal. And my part will probably only last a few seconds."

"A star is born."

"Right," Ellie said sarcastically. "Prepare for cosmic destruction."

"Aw, does this mean you won't be signing autographs?" Caitlin teased.

"There's a scary thought. I'd better go before the ideas get ever scarier."

Before Ellie could stand up, they both heard a knock on the open door.

"Hey Caitlin. Ready to go to lunch or do you need a few more minutes?"

"Come on in," Caitlin said to the newly arrived Spike, who was standing at the door. "We were just finishing up."

"Caitlin, I'm going to go ahead and take lunch now as well," Ellie said, getting up from her chair while Spike entered the office.

"That's fine," Caitlin responded. "I'll meet you in Editing in about an hour. You can give me your opinion on the latest cut of Segment 3."

"No problem. I'll see you later."

"Oh, Ellie," Caitlin said suddenly, "hold up a sec."

Though nearly out the door, Ellie stopped and turned back around.

"It seems my manners have already left for lunch," Caitlin explained. "I don't know if the two of you have ever met. This is my good friend Christine Nelson. Christine Nelson, this is Ellie Nash, one of my production assistants."

"Nice to meet you, Ellie," Spike greeted her. "I've lost count of the number of times Caitlin's mentioned what an asset you are to the show."

"Thanks," Ellie said quietly, giving a slight smile. Hearing positive comments pleased her but she never felt as though she knew how to react in such situations. She only hoped that she wasn't blushing.

"I also know about you through my daughter Emma," Spike added, bringing Ellie back down to reality.

'Yeah,' the redhead thought. 'And I can just imagine how Emma would describe me.'

"In a roundabout way, I suppose," Spike continued. "You see, I remember her mentioning your name as one of JT's friends who visited him while he was in the hospital."

"Oh," Ellie remarked, surprised that the connection wasn't one of bitterness. "That's true. It's still hard to believe what happened."

"I know. That was such a bad time. Thankfully he's been able to make a relatively quick recovery. Anyway, don't let me hold you up from going to lunch."

"It was nice to meet you, too," Ellie offered. "See you later Caitlin. You want the door open or shut?"

"Open's fine. We'll be leaving in a moment anyway."

After Ellie left, Spike sat down in the same chair that Ellie had previously occupied.

"Seems like a nice girl," Spike commented. "A bit on the shy side, though."

"Not so much once you get to know her," Caitlin responded. "So, what do you feel like eating?"

"I'm flexible. But before we go, are you ready for some news?"

"What sort of news?"

"Actually, it's Emma's news. But knowing we were having lunch today, she said I could go ahead and tell you."

Spike smiled as she watched her friend grow more and more curious.

Ellie, meanwhile, made it halfway down the hall to the back door leading to the employee parking lot when she was stopped by a confused looking young man who was asking for her help. Though she didn't know his name, she recognized him as one of the station's new interns in the legal department.

"My boss wanted me to bring these over to Caitlin Ryan," he explained, referring to the files in his right hand, "but this is only my second week and I have no idea where her office is."

"I think you just missed her," Ellie told him, assuming that her boss probably left by the front entrance to the visitor lot with Emma's mother. "She was on her way to lunch when I left her a moment ago."

"Oh."

"But I could take those and put them on her desk for when she gets back," she offered.

"I don't want you to go out of your way," the dark-haired intern remarked.

"It's no trouble," Ellie assured. "It'll only take me a second. Don't worry. In this maze of offices and corridors, I know how easy it is to get lost around here if you aren't used to it."

"Tell me about it," he said while handing the files to Ellie.

"Is that everything, um…"

"Wayne," he responded to her prompting. "Yeah, that's all."

"Well I work for Caitlin, so I'll make sure she gets these."

"Thanks. Hey, fair's fair…what's your name?"

"Ellie," she answered as she turned around to walk back to Caitlin's office.

"Maybe you can give me a tour of the maze sometime, Ellie," Wayne suggested while watching her walk away, but she didn't hear him.

Walking back toward her boss's office, from several feet away she could see Caitlin and Spike leaving the room while continuing to chat.

"It all sounds exciting," Caitlin offered. "Think you're ready for your new role as Mother of the Bride?"

"I'll admit this is all going to take some getting used to," Spike explained. "But they have my support. Em and JT seem to be truly thinking things through and making solid plans for their future. If they're happy, how can I be anything but happy for them in return?"

"So Spike Nelson's daughter is getting married…" Caitlin remarked. "Does this mean we're starting to get old?"

"Bite your tongue," Spike replied, laughing.

Walking out the nearby front exit, the two women hadn't noticed Ellie, who had stopped several feet away from them upon hearing the nature of their conversation. Now alone in the hallway, the young woman simply stood still for a moment, as though she were frozen.

'Married,' Ellie soon thought to herself. 'Did I really just hear that JT…and her…? Dating is one thing. But marriage? That's just…scary.'

Walking into Caitlin's office, she placed the files on the desk. Next, rather than simply go over to TMD as she'd intended, she decided it would likely be better to call ahead first. Using the phone on the desk, she was told that JT had just left for a meeting and wasn't expected back until mid-afternoon.

"Just tell JT that Ellie Nash called to accept his offer regarding the advertisement," she told the theater employee. "Once he has more information – and assuming he's still interested – he can get in touch. Yes, he knows how to reach me. We're friends."

Putting down the phone, Ellie was disappointed she couldn't speak to him. She'd hoped to hear his plans first-hand. Perhaps get some reassurance that it wasn't going to effect their friendship.

Whatever might happen, Ellie was certain that it was right to still go ahead and participate in the ad. She felt that her friendship with JT had usually remained separate from his relationship with Emma and decided not to let this new situation change that.

'Whatever they're doing, that's their business,' she thought. 'It doesn't bother me. Not in the least. He won't hear one word of criticism from me about any of it. He's my friend, and I want him to be happy.'

She then walked out of the office, still trying to get used to the news.

'But it's still a scary thought.'

**Next Chapter** – Assisted Self-Help


	68. Assisted Self Help

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

**Chapter 68 -- Assisted Self-Help**

Lying in bed, JT awoke suddenly. Quickly sitting up, his breathing was rapid as he turned his head toward the nearby nightstand to look at the clock.

6:00 a.m.

Though JT was much more of a morning person than Emma, this was too early even for him. Even moreso considering this was a Sunday. Then again, it's not as though he had intended to wake up at this hour.

Several minutes passed as he continued to sit up in bed. As he gradually began to feel less anxious, he considered trying to go back to sleep.

He ultimately decided not to bother. Instead, he got up and slowly made his way into the living room. Once there, he plopped down onto the sofa, pulled the remote control from between the cushions and turned on the television. He hoped there might be an old movie worth watching on one of the channels. Something that would be good for a few laughs. Something that might take his mind off the cause of his rude awakening.

About two hours later, Manny arrived at Sean's as they had planned and the couple was standing outside in his driveway.

"So, do you want to have some breakfast now, or ride for awhile and then stop and get something?" Sean asked, referring to their plan for the day. Tracker had once again given them access to one of his motorcycles.

"Let's stop later," Manny answered without hesitation. "I'm ready to hit the road."

Sean laughed.

"What?" Manny questioned.

"Nothing. It's just always fun to watch an excited Manny Santos. And even after the last time we took the bike out for the day and you had fun, I didn't expect you'd be the one to say we should do it again."

"It's a lot of fun. Both being the driver AND being the one in back hanging on. Of course it doesn't hurt that I happen to be crazy about the guy I'm riding with."

"Doesn't hurt at all," Sean agreed. "Anyway, it also gives us a little time together before you start getting too busy helping with wedding plans to do anything else."

In response, Manny wrapped her arms around her boyfriend and looked him directly in the eyes.

"Sean," she said, speaking in a serious tone, "I want you to trust me when I say that you will never need to worry that I'd be too busy for you. It just won't happen. Got it?"

At first Sean hesitated to respond, but looking at Manny he could tell that it wasn't an empty promise.

"Got it," he replied.

"Good," she said before giving him a quick kiss and releasing her hold on him. "Because I mean it no matter what, though honestly I don't know that I'm going to be all that involved in helping Emma."

"What do you mean?" Sean asked curiously. "When the four of us went out Friday night you two were getting along great. What happened?"

"Nothing," Manny assured as she sat down on the nearby stoop. "We ARE great. But she hasn't asked me about being her maid of honor, and so I'm not going to assume that I'll be her choice."

"They've only been engaged for a week," he reasoned. "Of course, like I told them the other night, I could've sworn they were already married because they've been acting like an old married couple for ages."

Manny laughed at his joking comment, just as they all had on Friday night.

"All I'm saying is that I can understand if I'm not Emma's pick," she then elaborated. "Sure, nowadays I think we're about as close as we've ever been. You'd hardly know that before 7 or 8 months ago, we were barely on speaking terms for the longest time. We're even able to get through the occasional little difference of opinion without it blowing up into anything big, and it's great. But I could still see why she might not ask me."

"Doesn't mean you can't be disappointed," Sean interjected. "But that's assuming she doesn't ask you."

"All things considered, getting to watch my two closest friends get married will be wonderful, whether I'm standing near them or sitting in one of the church pews."

"And like you said, for now don't assume anything one way or the other," Sean reminded.

"Right. Anyway, I know I can be selfish, but I'd have to be beyond selfish if I thought I was the only good choice. I just always had it in the back of my mind since we were kids that when it came to our weddings, Emma and I would be each other's maid of honor. And I guess I've never really outgrown that idea."

"Well don't forget this is Emma we're talking about. You said how she's going to walk down the aisle by herself, so for all we know she's not planning on doing the whole maid of honor thing either."

"True, you never know," she agreed.

Moments later, Manny started to laugh.

"What?" Sean questioned.

"Just thinking back. This talking about ideas we have as kids… Back then I'd have bet anything that JT and Emma would be the last hold-outs when it came to getting married. And I'm not talking about to each other, but to anyone. Well, JT would be next-to-last, and Emma would be last. And they both would have agreed completely."

"I know that you always seemed to be the most into the whole 'hearts and flowers' romance thing out of the three of you back then," Sean remarked.

"Yeah, but I'm talking about long before you first knew us. For example, when we were little the three of us played lots of games together. But they'd always outvote me whenever I suggested that we play House. Okay, JT was a boy so that made sense. But Emma agreed with him that it wouldn't be any fun. One thing they liked instead was Zoo Rescue."

"Zoo Rescue?" Sean repeated.

"Even as kids, Emma hated the whole idea of zoos. She called them 'animal jails.'"

Sean laughed, having heard Emma refer to zoos that way as well.

"JT would be a different animal each time we played," Manny began to explain.

"Never one of the rescuers?"

"No," she replied. "This way, he got to make all the animal sounds. So, he'd shut himself up in a closet, which was meant to be the cage. Emma would make sure the lights were off, and I was in charge of getting us flashlights."

Manny noticed Sean's confusion.

"We were pretending this was nighttime," she explained. "You can't have a secret rescue in broad daylight, of course."

"Of course," Sean said sarcastically, though in truth he was enjoying listening to her tale.

"We'd sneak around and slowly make our way to the closet," Manny continued, "where our caged animal was making all kinds of noise. Emma said it was up to us to save the poor thing from the evil zoo. So we'd pretend to struggle to open the door to the cage for awhile, or try to talk the animal into ramming into the door if he was supposed to have horns. JT really enjoyed doing, too…despite the headaches. Eventually he'd finally get loose from the 'cage.' Of course then JT would demand a big snack, saying that being trapped in the zoo made him hungry."

"And to think, when I was a little kid, all I ever did was sit inches away from a TV in a trailer watching roller derby," Sean joked. "Now I really feel deprived."

"We had a lot of fun back then. Not always typical. But fun."

"And now they're the first ones getting married," he commented.

"While marriage is something I can't even imagine for myself at this point in my life," she added.

"But the three of you are still friends who have a lot of fun together."

"Definitely. The more things change, and all that. And at least these are good changes. It goes to show what can happen with a little time and love for the right person. You can find yourself eagerly getting married when you never used to even want to pretend. Or looking forward to zooming down the road on the back of a motorcycle when not too long ago it would have seemed beyond scary. You just never know."

At that point, Sean took the initiative, reaching down for his girlfriend's hands, pulling her to her feet and wrapping his arms around her.

"So, Right Person…are you ready to get out of here?"

"In a moment," she replied with a smile before kissing him once again.

Within the hour, JT, having given up on finding any worthwhile television yet still restless, took a quick shower, got dressed and drove over to TMD. Parking right in front of the building, he had just gotten out of his car when he heard the sound of another car's horn. He turned to find Spinner pulling into the lot.

"Hey," Spinner greeted through his open side window after he stopped alongside where JT stood. "I thought that was your car I saw turning into here."

"Yup, you caught me."

"Surprised me. I mean, you don't usually come in on Sundays. Especially hours before it opens. What's up?"

"Nothing," JT answered casually. "Figured I'd look around. Make sure everything's okay."

"Okay?" Spinner asked in confusion.

JT, appearing lost in thought, didn't answer.

"JT?"

He then realized he had stopped talking.

"Oh…sorry Spin. Yeah, you know. That all the stock we'll need for today is in place. That everything looks ready to go."

"Okay…"

Spinner knew he'd never be accused of being the brightest guy in the neighborhood, but he considered himself smart when it came to his friends. And he knew that something seemed to be bothering this particular friend.

"I'm headed over to the house for breakfast," Spinner commented. "And even though I know my mom and sister would be crushed, I can cancel and…"

"Thanks, but I've got everything covered," JT interrupted.

"You sure? I mean…there's nothing wrong, right?"

"Positive," JT replied, hoping to sound more upbeat. "Besides, I'd hate to deprive your mom the excitement of doing your laundry."

"Hey, I'm sure it's the high point of her week," Spinner added in a similar lighthearted tone.

"Then you'd better get going," JT encouraged.

"So everything's okay?" Spinner again questioned.

"Yes," JT answered, hoping his friend and employee would finally be convinced. "You don't have to worry about me. Now go, unless you want me to start repeating everything you say."

"Anything but that," Spinner groaned. "Too cruel."

At this, they both laughed.

"Okay," Spinner then said, reluctantly giving in to JT's wishes, "I'm going. But if you need help with anything… Or want to talk about something…"

"I know. And thanks. See you tomorrow."

After Spinner drove away, JT unlocked one of the front doors and entered the building. Soon, he was in his office. Leaving his door open, he walked back behind the desk. Before he sat down, though, he looked down at the floor.

Memories flashed through his mind like film clips. Brief, but powerful, images. Being pushed to the ground. Trying to crawl around the desk and out of sight. The growing confusion. The intense pain. The fear.

Sitting down, JT actively sought to put away those mental images. Thus, he turned his attention to the messages that had been left for him on his desk. After reading them, he studied the pictured of Emma that sat near the phone. After several moments he picked up the phone and placed a call.

"Hi," came Emma's voice after four rings.

"Morning, angel. I was…"

"Sorry I missed your call," her voice continued following her brief pause.

JT rolled his eyes, realizing he'd been fooled by her voicemail recording.

"Hey," he tried again at the prompt once her message was complete. "It's me. Now don't try to scare me by thinking to yourself, 'Me who?' Anyway, I'm just…checking in. I'll see you later on. Love you."

After his call, JT sat silently, save for tapping his finger on the phone. Several moments passed and then he once more picked up the phone, using that same finger to punch in another number.

"Hi," a voice eventually answered. "I may or may not be available to take your call right now. But good help is hard to find so, alas, you get my machine rather than a professional phone screener. Leave a message and if you're interesting enough I'll return your call as soon as I can."

"Love the new message," JT said following the beep. "But my favorite is still the one where you ended it by saying 'I hope you have a very Paige-worthy day.' No message for you. I just… Hey, it's been a couple of weeks and you know what they say… A week without talking to Paige…"

"…Is like a week without sunshine," Paige Michalchuk completed after picking up her phone. "It's so true."

"It's that high level of modesty you have," JT teased. "It draws people in. So, am I really talking to Paige, or is this just the next level of interactive messaging before I can reach the real deal?"

"Very funny, hon," she replied while sitting at the desk in her dorm room on Trent University's campus. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call at such an unseemly hour?"

"Did I wake you up?" JT asked in an apologetic tone.

"If only… Major English test tomorrow, so I want to get in enough study time today. See all the fun you'll be missing out on this Fall?"

"Yeah, sounds like tons o' fun," he answered, matching her sarcasm. "I still can't believe you decided to stay there in Peterborough for the summer."

"It was a good first year…even though my roommate for the first semester had even hairier legs than Heather Sinclair. Oh, it's so nice not to have a roommate sharing the dorm over the summer. Anyway, I've told you before about the friends I've made since I've been here, and some of them are still around taking summer classes too. And if I can get a couple of these required generic courses out of the way right now, I'll be that much closer to getting to focus on the interesting ones that actually relate to my major."

"Well I hope you'll be able to tear yourself away from all of that for a couple of days in August," JT urged.

"Why? What's going on in August?"

"A wedding. Specifically…mine."

"You're getting married?" Paige asked, not expecting such news.

"You got it."

"Okay," she responded casually, "but just make sure you know that the baby's really yours before you say, 'I do.'"

JT rolled his eyes. He knew Paige's first response would be a sarcastic joke, and he was glad that she didn't disappoint.

"Why Hallmark doesn't have you on its payroll, I'll never know," he fired back.

"You know I'm totally kidding, hon. But a simple 'Congratulations' seems too clichéd to be worthy of either of us."

"You're probably right."

"So is this what you really want?" she then asked in a more serious tone. "The thing that'll make you beyond happy?"

"It is."

"Then you know I'm happy for you, sweet potato."

"I thought you would be," he responded, sounding pleased.

"Even though your intended and I have never been all that chummy," Paige added.

"I know, but maybe that could change when you come back for the wedding," JT suggested.

"Couldn't I just mail the two of you a toaster as a wedding gift and be done with it?"

JT couldn't help but laugh.

"Again…kidding," she quickly added. "You know I'll be there."

"Good."

JT hesitated for a moment as he summoned up the nerve to change the course of the conversation to the main reason he wanted to speak with Paige at this time.

"Um…" he soon began to speak once more, "the upcoming wedding isn't the only reason I wanted to call you today."

"I had a feeling there was something else."

"Am I that transparent?"

"No, but after all the time I've spent around you when you wore your mascot outfit, I don't have to see your face to recognize your various moods. There's body language. Or, like in this particular case, I can tell by the tone of your voice. When you first called, you sounded a little off."

"Maybe a little," JT admitted. "A few weeks ago, when we talked for the first time after…after I got hurt, you said that if…well, you know."

Paige got up from her desk and, taking the phone with her, moved over to her bed so she could be more comfortable while they continued their conversation.

"Yeah, I know," she said while stretching out. "That day when Ellie first called to let me know what had happened to you the night before, my first reaction was shock. Then anger. Then came the urge to head back to Toronto. Not that I could really do much to help. But I also knew you were already surrounded by other friends, and that it might start getting claustrophobic for you to have yet another person hovering around. So like I told you when I called, if there was anything you needed or if you felt like venting about what happened, you shouldn't hesitate to call me. After all, we've been known to have the occasional serious conversation amongst all the others."

"And you also sent me the huge card a few days later, which was great."

"Not as sweet as the bear that a certain someone once bought me, but I figured you'd like it."

"I didn't want to take you up on the serious conversation offer," JT confessed. "I'd hate to come off sounding like, 'Poor me.' Not when you survived something that can't be compared to anything else."

"You're right that I survived something horrible," Paige responded. "And you've survived something horrible, too. Two different kinds of horrible, but things that neither one of us deserved. Things that we have to live with. As far as I'm concerned, you more than have the right to sound like 'poor me' if you want to. But I know you won't because that's not you.

"Look JT, you were a big help to me at the worst time in my life. And I don't just mean the way you stood up for me that day in the gym. I also mean the way you were so accessible after that. You are equal parts joker and great listener. And most of all, you're my friend. So if I can ever be of any help to you, I don't want you hesitating to speak up."

"Maybe it's nothing," JT offered.

"If it's bothering you, it's not nothing," Paige countered.

"It could have been a fluke," he then suggested.

"'It' being what exactly?"

"The dream I had last night," he revealed, with serious concern evident in his voice. "Or I guess early this morning, to be more accurate. The thing that woke me up."

"About what happened to you?"

"More or less."

"JT, it's only natural that the memory of something so traumatic would cause you to have unsettling dreams from time to time."

"Not anymore it shouldn't," JT disagreed. "The first week or two? Sure. It happened a few times. Either dreaming about what led up to getting hurt or dreaming that it would happen again. But not now."

"Why not now?" she questioned.

"Because I'm still here. Because I've stopped feeling anxious all the time. Because I've got a really good life that includes Emma, great friends and a growing business. Because the only person who ever wanted to hurt me is locked up and, from what Alex told me, isn't interested in hurting me or anyone else ever again. Alex said his new prison life is really hitting him hard."

"Alex?" Paige asked, confused. "Who's he?"

"Not a he. It's Jay's ex-girlfriend."

"Ah," she responded. "Well, I was never one to keep up with Who's Who of Degrassi's criminal element. If I ever met her, she obviously didn't make a lasting impression."

"No, she's okay," JT said in Alex's defense. "After all, she was smart enough to break up with him at some point. And she came to talk to me a week ago, which I really respect. I bet it wasn't easy for her.

"The point is that I don't have any reason to still be having dreams like this. And I haven't had one for days. Until now. So what I'm wondering is… When did you stop having dreams about what happened to you? That is, if you're okay about telling me."

"I'm okay with telling you," Paige assured. "And when and if they ever DO stop, I'll let you know."

Her answer caught JT by surprise.

"You mean…"

"Not often," she explained. "Sometimes not for months at a time. But every once in awhile, I'll find myself having a dream and it's like no time had passed. When I first wake up, it's as if it had only been days, not years, since Dean raped me."

"I had no idea," JT responded.

"It's rare when I have a dream about it. And Ms. Sauve had told me early on in our talks that it could happen. That even after long periods of time, there could be moments where the memories are strong again. Even if it's just for a little while. The important thing is to know that it's natural and not to get discouraged by it."

"But it DOES happen a lot less over time, right?" JT asked, feeling the need for confirmation.

"It does," she replied.

JT didn't say anything in response.

"I know you were hoping I'd say there's an ending in sight," she said, having a good idea that was the case. "And obviously, each person's situation is different. But I just can't give you a timetable for how things will go with your recovery."

"It would've been nice," JT admitted. "But you're being honest. Which I knew you'd be. And that's better than getting sugarcoated answers. At least I know that I'm not crazy for having this dream."

"Not crazy at all," Paige was quick to confirm. "My advice is to not try to expect too much of yourself too soon. I know that's saying a lot to JT Yorke. You're almost as persistent as I am when it comes to knowing what you want and going after it."

"Thanks for the compliment. High praise indeed. But as for the advice, is that coming from the psychologist-in-training?"

"No, hon. I still have a long way to go before I get my degree and can start charging top dollar for my brilliance."

Her sarcastic response resulted in JT laughing, which was her intent. Now, as during their previous conversations since his assault, Paige was glad to know that JT's innate sense of humor hadn't been taken from him.

"That was the advice of a friend," she continued, this time in a more serious tone. "One who knows you and doesn't want you to have unrealistic expectations about recovery that leave you feeling disappointed in yourself."

"Got it. I'll work on that," JT promised.

"That's all you can do. This is an ongoing process."

"I'm noticing," he remarked.

"And since we've established that you're wise enough to appreciate my honesty," Paige continued, "I'm just going to throw this out there and we don't have to mention it again if you don't want to."

"What would that be?"

"Have you given any thought to talking to someone?"

JT didn't respond right away.

"No," he answered moments later. "I've always found it to be more fun to talk to people without doing any thinking at all."

"Clever, but you know what I meant," Paige said, not willing to let JT dodge with a joke in this instance.

"My doctor told me that some counseling could be good in case I had any post-traumatic stress," JT explained. "I think that's what he called it. He said he'd be glad to give me a referral to a counselor in the neighborhood."

"And knowing that you're someone who prefers helping others rather than asking for help, I'm guessing you didn't take him up on his offer."

"No offense to you and your career goals," JT prefaced, "but spending an hour telling a stranger things about my life that he'll probably just use as material for his next book doesn't sound like my idea of a good time."

"You forgot to add the part about how he or she will try to shrink your head, then hypnotize you and make you cluck like a chicken," Paige cracked. "Unfortunately, I won't get to learn those skills until junior year."

"They make you wait that long?"

"Look, I'm not trying to sell you on something you don't want to do. The first time someone mentioned counseling to me I was dead set against it."

"Really?"

"Absolutely," she confirmed. "I even remember my exact response: 'You know how to spell "therapist?" T-H-E-R-A-P-I-S-T. Which also spells "the rapist." And I've had more than enough of those, thank you very much.'

"But over time I realized that maybe an objective listener would be helpful. Not that family and friends weren't already there for me in a big way. But a counselor has had special training and could help in ways that the people close to me wouldn't even think of. And it turned out to be very good for me. Naturally it's not for everybody, but it never hurts to keep your options open."

"Well I do try to keep an open mind about most things. And I can even admit that I know talking to someone does help some people. Like you. I'm still not sold, but maybe I won't rule out asking the doctor for that referral."

Glad to know that JT was at least open to considering counseling, she wasn't going to push.

"So…care to tell me about this latest crazy scheme of yours?" she asked in a lighter tone. "Something about for better, for worse, blah, blah, blah?"

JT smiled. His friend had been able to assure him that his sense of recovery wasn't a lie just because he'd had another dream. Plus, she was then able to bring the conversation back to something she knew he'd enjoy talking about.

"Paige, you have such a way with summaries," he answered sarcastically.

"Never mind the flattery. I want full details. For example, how many Knock-Knock jokes did you have to tell Emma before she agreed to marry you just to shut you up?"

"So slanderous," JT kidded her. "So cold-hearted."

"Hey, I said never mind the flattery…"

They continued to talk for a good 15 minutes before their phone call came to an end. Paige returned to her studies, while the early part of their conversation left JT with something new to consider. He'd always been good at talking to people he didn't know. Whether it was a new kid in school or TMD customers. But could talking to a stranger about the personal details of one's life really do any good?

It wasn't long, though, before his phone rang and interrupted his thoughts.

"Thank you for calling The Movie Difference," he answered. "Can I help you?"

"Why yes," the voice on the other end responded. "I was at the theater last night. You were showing that Marx Brothers movie, 'A Night At The Opera.' Such a funny film, and another good selection for your Saturday classics line. But I'd like to know how I could get in touch with the cute young man who owns this theater. I understand that he's funnier than all the Marx Brothers combined."

"I think a meeting could probably be arranged," JT replied, smiling. "Morning Emma."

"Hi," she greeted, calling from her bedroom. "Sorry I missed your call earlier. I tried you back a couple of times but your line was busy."

"No problem. How about I come by and pick you up and we can go get some breakfast."

"Sounds great," Emma gladly accepted.

"Hey Emma…" JT began, but stopped short of saying more.

"What is it?"

"I'm not saying I'm going to or anything," he resumed while looking at her picture. "Just thinking about it. But if I decided to…I don't know…maybe… You see, I had another one of THOSE dreams."

"JT, I'm so sorry. I know you know that you're safe. I guess sometimes it takes the part of the mind that controls our dreams a little longer to figure these things out."

Emma understood that having such dreams was probably par for the course considering what he'd been through not so long ago, but she also knew – however unrealistic it might be – that JT had thought he was done having them.

"I agree, and I've heard that it's not crazy to still have the bad dreams sometimes. Annoying, but not crazy. Still, if I ever decided to try talking to someone…you don't think that would be the worst idea in the world, do you?"

"No," she replied. "Not at all."

Even though she'd only said a few words, JT could hear both the certainty and understanding in her voice. Still, he had one other concern.

"I don't want you to think it means that I think talking to you isn't a good thing," he quickly added. "It always is."

"I'd never think that," Emma assured.

"It could turn out to be a big waste of time, but maybe it would be helpful."

"Whatever you decide, Jamie, you've got my complete support. Always."

"I know. So anyway…I can be at your place in about five minutes."

"I suppose I can suffer through such a long wait somehow," she teased.

"If you feel like trying something new, I heard about this place that serves breakfast pizzas. No idea what that's all about, but it could be interesting."

"And a bit scary," she suggested. "But sure, why not. We're both open-minded when it comes to trying new things."

"That we are, Emma. That we are. I'll be right over."

**Next Chapter** – The Inside Story


	69. The Inside Story

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

**Chapter 69 -- The Inside Story**

"Maybe setting up this counseling session wasn't such a crazy idea after all."

JT made this remark inside an office of a building located several minutes away from the hospital where he had been a patient. Having finally decided to take a chance, he accepted his doctor's referral several days ago and, on this late Wednesday afternoon, was speaking with Randall Bennington, a counselor whom JT guessed was in his late-20s.

"I'm not talking about trying to solve all of life's great mysteries or anything," he continued. "But there ARE a few things that keep circling around in my head, and maybe you would have some of the answers."

"Where would you like to begin?" Randall asked, preferring for the time being to let JT lead the way in their discussion.

"I'm glad you asked," JT responded with eagerness. "My fiancée Emma doesn't eat meat, outside of chicken. So sometimes we'll go out to restaurants that are big on salads. You know…the kind of places that have those salad bars that look like they're a mile long. Have you seen these things?"

Sitting just a few feet from JT rather than from behind his desk, Randall nodded in response.

"Okay," JT resumed. "Then you know that big thing of glass that always hangs just over the top of them, no matter which place you go to? Emma told me they're called sneeze guards. Okay, I've never seen anyone actually sneeze on one of them before, but I think if someone's sneezing anywhere near the food, just having that sheet of glass there isn't going to make me want to eat the salad that's sitting underneath it. It's like the owners of these places have decided that as long as the snot and phlegm only land on the glass then the food is still safe.

"Now what you should also understand is that Emma is the most health conscious person I know. She even used to protest school cafeteria food. But she's never seemed bothered by having sneeze guards at salad bars. So does that make me the crazy one?"

JT saw the confused look on the counselor's face.

"Man, this is a tough room," he noted with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "But I guess you don't get too many people in here who start off with a gag problem to put some fun into the sessions."

"No," Randall agreed, "you'd be the first to come in with an opening monologue."

"Maybe this is the start of a new trend that will soon be sweeping the country and land me in the history books," JT kidded.

Within moments, Randall observed as the smile gradually left JT's face.

"Man, I still can't believe I decided to give this a shot," JT remarked.

He then considered his comment and didn't wish to seem like he was personally insulting the man facing him.

"No offense," he quickly added. "In the time we've been talking, you seem like a good guy. And you've got a really nice office."

"Thank you."

"Part of me expected dark lighting," JT explained. "Maybe a hypno-wheel in the corner. But it's just a regular office. Oh, and it's good that you have chairs in here. Even though you're not a psychiatrist, I was afraid you'd have a couch instead of chairs, and I wasn't going to go for that."

"What makes it difficult for you to believe you would come to talk to a counselor?" Randall questioned.

JT thought for a moment.

"Maybe it's because the only example of a counselor I ever knew about was the one at Degrassi," he soon replied. "I have friends who swear she was a big help to them, and I'm glad for them. But I'd sooner talk to someone with a split personality and take either version of his advice before I would've ever talked to her about something important."

"I see."

"I know that sounds cold," JT granted. "But get this… My first day back at school after my mother died, Ms. Sauve – that's Degrassi's excuse for a guidance counselor – stopped me in the hallway. She asked if I wanted to set up a time to meet with her to discuss how I was feeling. I'm not back one full day and this woman was in my face. Acting all polite but assuming I'd want to talk to her. I know lawyers have this reputation as ambulance chasers, but school counselors? She had this big sad look on her face when I told her it wasn't going to happen. It was so obvious she gets off on hearing people talk about their situations, then getting to give solutions which I bet come straight from fortune cookies."

"As with any field, you can't judge an entire profession based on one person or one experience," Randall suggested. "Also, while I won't criticize someone whose work I don't know, it's good to remember that not every counselor is the right one for every person."

"I know. Still, the whole idea of telling a stranger the personal details of your life just seems…odd. Even if that stranger IS up to the job."

"It's perfectly natural to feel uncomfortable, JT," Randall said in an effort to reassure the young man. "Perhaps you could tell me a little about what you're hoping will come out of this session."

JT's smile reappeared, as he wasted no time in answering this question.

"Well…I always wanted to take the ink blot test. I've heard that all the pictures are supposed to look like either food, butterflies, or women's private parts. And I want to see for myself if that's really true."

"Sorry. No ink blots. Just talking."

"Ah…well so much for today's opportunity for higher education," JT joked. "Hey, before I forget, there's something else I'm curious about. My doctor was telling me you also hold group counseling sessions."

"That's right," Randall confirmed.

"How does that work? Each person stands up and tells their story and then there's a vote at the end to see who's the most interesting or the most dysfunctional? Or who's both?"

"Not quite."

The two men then sat in silence for several moments, with JT uncertain about what to say next.

"So…what do you want me to talk about now?" he finally asked.

"That's up to you," Randall responded. "What would you LIKE to talk about?"

"I can talk about anything," JT informed him. "I talk to my friends all the time. I was always able to talk to customers at my theater. Give me a topic and I'm sure there's something interesting we could say about it. Or at least something humorous."

"What's it like to be back at work?" the counselor asked as a way to offer JT the direction he seemed to be seeking in this discussion.

"It's great," JT answered quickly and simply. "Next question?"

"Would you like to elaborate on your last answer first?"

"I'm not sure what you want me to say," JT explained. "I stay busy trying to keep the place running smoothly. Meetings, paperwork, customer service, dealing with employees… Next week we're shooting our first TV ad. So I work hard but have a lot of fun doing it. It's all about bringing entertainment to as much of the public as we can. How could I not have fun?"

"Has it been difficult returning to the place where you were assaulted?"

This time JT wasn't as quick with a response.

"It…it has its moments," he confessed after momentarily thinking about it. "But nothing I can't handle."

"But you aren't talking with customers anymore?"

JT considered this an odd question.

"Where did you get that idea?" he asked in response.

"From you."

"Then there must be another me around here who's invisible," JT said as he made a show of looking to his left and then his right for another person. "When did I say anything remotely like that?"

"Several moments ago," Randall revealed. "You said you talk to your friends all the time. Present tense. Then you said you were always able to talk to customers. Past tense."

"Thanks, but my school days are over. I don't need a grammar lesson. Of course I still talk to customers. Maybe not as much, but that's only because I've been busy playing catch up, plus preparing for the commercial. Not to mention getting engaged. So I don't always get to step outside the office and ask people if they're enjoying themselves or if there's anything they think we could be doing better. But I'm not getting any complaints either, so I don't always need to be front and center."

"That's true."

"And before you say it," JT added, "I know it's okay to be a little nervous being back. But it wasn't like this was a situation where a stranger stabbed me because he didn't like the movie he just saw or the quality of our popcorn. I could have been working in a supermarket and things probably would have ended up the same way."

"Do you think about him very much?" the counselor questioned.

"Him?"

"Your assailant."

"Oh. Him."

Though JT was slow to respond further, Randall had no intention of trying to rush him to speak.

"Jay Hogart," JT spoke up moments later. "The guy who puts the 'ass' in 'assailant.' Even calling him an ass is an insult to asses everywhere. Anyway, he's gone now. I'm sure all the other lunatics in his cell block are busy fighting to see who gets to make Jay their new girlfriend."

"But do you think about him very much?" Randall asked a second time, noticing that JT hadn't truly answered the question.

"Until all of this happened, I never thought about him except for the few times when he tried to slither back into my friend Sean's life. So don't you think it would be silly to give him any room in my thoughts now? It's not like he can hurt me anymore."

"You're right that he can't hurt you again. But I don't think it's silly if your thoughts occasionally return to him and what he did to you. After all, it was a life altering event, and still very recent. In fact, it's possible that the less you try to avoid such thoughts or push them to one side, the less likely you'll have the dreams you've had on occasion since the stabbing. The dream recalling what happened and the one where he assaults you a second time. Those were the two dream scenarios you mentioned during our preliminary phone discussion on Monday when setting up this appointment. Basically, time and talking about what happened are the big keys."

There was another period of silence before JT eventually spoke up again.

"You know, I was wrong before," he prefaced, sounding more cheerful than when he was discussing Jay. "I do know of one other counselor. Well, a psychiatrist actually. And not a real one."

"Someone illegally practicing psychiatry?" Randall asked.

As a counselor, he was familiar with people changing the subject when feeling uncomfortable. But with this session, he had a genuine curiosity about where JT's various detours would lead.

"No," JT answered. A comic strip character who did it part-time."

JT noticed the confused look on Randall's face.

"Don't you remember Lucy from the old Peanuts strips?" he went on to explain. "She had this setup outdoors that looked like a lemonade stand, only she was selling advice. The sign over the stand said, 'The Psychiatrist Is In — 5 Cents Please.' Then she'd give her words of wisdom. Saying what she thought even if Charlie Brown and the others didn't want to hear it. And she was funny while doing it. I can just imagine Paige with a setup like that when she was a kid. Paige is another friend of mine. She's a psych major now, and the one who said counseling can be a good thing after going through something like I did."

"I remember those comic strips, too."

"When I was little, my mother bought me the books that reprinted all those older strips " JT recalled fondly. "I guess she could tell even then that I liked things that were funny."

"It sounds like she was an encouraging presence in your life," Randall offered.

"Yeah," JT confirmed. "Hope you aren't too disappointed. After all, I've heard about how counselors and shrinks love to blame everything on the mother. But I had a good one."

"And your father…?"

"…Isn't worth wasting the time or the breath it would take to say his name," JT was quick to interject before more could be said, his tone becoming brusque. "He's not in the picture, and that's all I'm going to say about that topic."

Randall, sensing that if he asked for further details that JT might shut down on him, decided not to pursue the issue of JT's relationship with his father at this time.

"So…I take it humor has played an important role in your life," Randall commented.

Liking the change in direction the discussion was taking, JT once again felt more relaxed.

"You've got to enjoy life," JT responded. "And there's always room for comedy."

"Where does it fit for you?"

"I show old comedies on Saturdays. The occasional indie comedy during the week in between the dramas and documentaries. If someone's got a funny story or one-liner, I'm all ears. Best of all is when I can make someone laugh. If you can make someone laugh, I think it's a gift. And if you can give someone who's upset a reason to smile, even if it's just for a few seconds, you've really done something good."

"With everything that's happened, are you still finding things to laugh about?" Randall then asked.

"Sure."

"Who's able to make YOU laugh?"

"The short list?" JT questioned, knowing there were many people he could name.

"You decide."

"If we're talking films, we could be here all day. But the classic comedian and film guy who always makes me laugh is Groucho Marx. Whether it was the movies he starred in with his brothers or the quiz show he hosted later on, he always had a good one-liner. Never at a loss for a clever comeback. Even seeing some of the old interview footage with him, the guy just seemed to KNOW funny."

"And how about among the people you know?"

"I think most of my friends have their moments," JT explained. "Definitely Emma, which I guess is no surprise. We've known each other the better part of forever. She'd HAVE to have a good sense of humor to put up with me all this time. But the one who really stands out for me is someone most people would never expect to be funny. Sean."

"The friend you mentioned earlier who was once associated with Jay?"

"Yeah. Anyway, I don't mean he's telling jokes left and right. Sometimes it's not even so much what he says but the fact that he's said it at all."

"I don't understand," Randall admitted.

"You see, I've known this guy for years, but we only became friends late last year. He's never been the kind of person who's going to talk your ear off. But in getting to really know him, we've had conversations where he's been able to really make me laugh. There's this more lighthearted side of Sean's personality that not very many people get to see. But it's there, and I've got to say it's nice to be one of that handful of people he feels he can be so open around."

"So I take it there hasn't been any awkwardness between the two of you since the stabbing, what with his past connection to…"

"None," JT replied with certainty before Randall could even finish.

"Have you felt unusually uncomfortable around anyone in these past few weeks."

"No. I've felt more and more confident every day. That's why it was so annoying when I had the nightmare the other day. I thought those were done. But Paige told me it's natural to still have them every now and then."

"That's correct."

"But the thing she couldn't tell me is the thing I'm hoping you can."

JT then pointed toward the framed diploma hanging on the wall behind Randall's desk.

"After all, you've got your degree."

"I'll be glad to tell you if I'm able to," Randall assured.

"How long before I can know for sure that I've had my last dream about that night? Or about him coming back and doing it again. About all of that. What kind of timetable can you give me?"

"I'm sorry JT, but there IS no answer to those questions."

JT sighed upon hearing this.

"Great," he said with slight annoyance, feeling as though he'd taken a chance only to have wasted his time. "You should put that on a sign. 'No answers found here.' That would look great on your front door. Not that I'm really surprised. But I was open to the idea that someone with your level of knowledge might be able to give more than some vague maybes. It's obvious you still don't get it."

"Get what?"

"I wasn't at the wrong place at the wrong time," JT said.

He wasn't raising his voice, but there was definite frustration in his tone.

"It wasn't random," he continued. "Someone wanted to see me dead and almost made it happen. Doesn't matter that he's never lived one day of his life as a decent human being. Doesn't matter that I've always thought he was crazy. It's still someone who…"

JT stopped rather than finish his sentence. Rather than taking offense at the remarks directed at him, Randall felt as though JT was going in the right direction and truly opening up about his experience.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to know that someone not only feels you deserve to die, but is horrible enough to try to make it happen?" JT asked, but in a quieter tone than before. "How I spent so much time those first few days afterward thinking back to that night and wondering what I could have said – or not said – to keep what happened in my office from happening?

"You tell me not to avoid thoughts about what happened, but I HAVE thought about it. A lot. Except going over it again and again doesn't do any good, because it won't change anything. Jay was evil, no question. But I should have done something more or said something more. And when the dreams are finally gone for good, that'll be like a sign that this whole bad experience is finally over."

Randall started to speak, but JT noticed.

"Before you say what I bet you're about to say, you don't have to. I don't think it was my fault and I don't blame myself. But I still wish I'd come up with some way of dealing with him that night that wouldn't have ended up with me on the floor hoping my blood wasn't all going to leak out.

"And I'm not stupid. I know it's normal to have dreams about that night. Maybe it's even normal to have dreams about it happening all over again only with a worse outcome. But don't sit there and tell me there's no answer to my question about when I'll be done with the dreams."

"There's no answer," Randall finally interjected, "because you're not asking the right question. Instead of questioning when you'll stop having the dreams related to the stabbing, ask yourself things like: 'Do I understand that the worst is over?' 'Do I get the fact that I'm a survivor and that I'm in no way at fault for his horrible choice that night?' 'Can I accept the idea that the dreams may seem scary at the time but they can't really hurt me?'

"JT, it takes time for people who've been where you are to reach the point where they can solidly answer those kinds of questions. You have to allow yourself that time."

"Time," JT repeated after taking a deep breath. He felt calmer, though his tone was sarcastic. "I think Lucy actually gave better advice to Charlie Brown."

"Things must be moving along at a steady pace, though, since the frequency of the dreams is so low after such a relatively short amount of time."

"I guess," JT allowed.

"But the immediate recovery you'd like doesn't exist. Still, stepping out of your comfort zone and meeting with me here today is a very positive step."

"Thanks, but don't get used to seeing me."

"I think we're already making progress, but of course when and how often you return is up to."

"That's right," JT concurred. "Not to mention whether to come back at all. And even though there's still some time left today, I think we've reached the end of our first – and last – session."

"But…"

"There's not much left to say," JT continued before Randall could suggest that he reconsider his decision. "You said it'll take time. Not what I was hoping to hear, but I guess the part of my brain that works the night shift and deals with dreams is just slower than the rest of me when it comes to trying to move forward. I can deal with it. I've survived too much to let a few nightmares be the thing that gets me down. But I won't need your help to do that."

JT stood up, prompting Randall to do the same.

"I really wish that you would…"

"Thanks for taking the time to talk to me," JT again cut him off before reaching out to shake the counselor's hand. "I think you ought to learn to laugh a little more, but you're an okay guy."

Randall felt that, nightmares aside, there was still much more JT could talk about in coming to grips with the assault, and he was sorry that JT didn't wish to pursue such a conversation.

"If you change your mind, don't hesitate to call," he encouraged as JT started for the door.

Hearing that, JT smiled and turned back around.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. And I'm sure you still have lots of other people with enough problems to fill your day. Not as entertaining as me, of course, but maybe someone will come close. Hey, just give it time. Time… Isn't that supposed to be the key?"

JT opened the door and as he walked into the outer office he observed Emma sitting in a chair on the other side of the room looking at a magazine.

"Good article?" he asked.

Emma looked up. Surprised to see him so soon, she checked her watch.

"Don't you still have another 20 minutes?" she questioned as JT approached her.

"The man's a genius, Emma. Not only did he hypnotize me to stop having those dreams, but now I'm also fluent in French even though I've never spoken a word of it before. Just think…now I can finally understand everything that's said in those Pepe Le Pew cartoons."

Emma simply rolled her eyes.

"Actually, we're developing an act," JT continued. "He'll give out advice while I tell jokes. We're going on the road this Fall."

Emma put the magazine back on the small table in front of her chair, and then she stood up.

"Should I even ask if everything went okay?"

"It did, more or less" JT replied, seriously this time. "I hadn't had another bad dream since that one the other Sunday morning, but I figured maybe he'd have something worth hearing about staying bad-dream-free. But he didn't have much to say. Just that I'm supposed to be more patient and not expect to rush getting over stuff. Fine. I can work on that. But there's no reason for me to stick around and hear more of the same. So I'm not coming back again.

"It makes sense. With almost everything else being so great, now that he and I have covered the situation about having the dreams, I would've had to start inventing crazy stories for him to analyze just to keep him from getting bored by my otherwise happy life."

"Yeah, I don't think he'd appreciate that."

"You're right."

"So, how are you doing? Really."

"I'm good," he assured his fiancée. "Part of me wants to forget all the bad stuff with Jay. Part of me wants to remember everything because it means I lived to remember it. If I can get through that, I can get through anything. And I didn't need any counseling to figure that out about myself."

"And in good times or bad, you can always count on me to be there for you," Emma commented.

"Working on the wedding vows already, are we?" he teased, followed by a wink.

JT then wrapped Emma in a hug, feeling more comfortable in that moment than he'd felt since they first arrived at this office.

"Thanks again for coming along," he offered once their hub had come to an end. "If he'd tried to hook me up to some kind of brain-draining machine, I know you would have rescued me."

"You better believe it."

"Hope you weren't too bored out here."

"No," she replied, "the magazines on the table are only three months old. The ones in my dentist's office are at least six months to a year old."

JT laughed, and then he checked his watch.

"Hey, it's still a little early to get dinner. So before we do, feel like going for a drive and just talking for awhile?"

"I'd like that. But you mean you're not all talked out by now?"

JT looked back toward the private office he'd exited moments ago.

"In there…that's not for me. Too formal. Too judgmental. Even if it's not meant to be."

He then turned his head back to face Emma.

"Anyway, when it comes to sorting through the inner workings of my crazy mind, no counselor could ever come close to getting me the way you do."

"Now who's working on the wedding vows?" Emma teased while also being very touched by what he said. She then took hold of his hand. "Let's get out of here."

"Gladly," he said.

Leaving the outer office, the couple walked down the hallway until they reached the elevator that would take them to the parking garage.

"You know what someone ought to do?" JT asked as they stepped into the elevator. "I can't believe no one's tried it before."

"What's that?"

"Comedy counseling."

"What?" she questioned, looking confused.

"You've heard of those comedy traffic school classes, right?"

"Yeah, I've read about them. Where the teachers have some sort of comic background and supposedly inject a lot of humor into the standard curriculum."

"Right. Maybe the world needs some stand-up therapists and counselors."

"Planning a career change?"

"Never," he declared. "But if that kind of counselor couldn't give you good answers…the advice you got could at least be entertaining."

**Next Chapter** – That's Showbiz


	70. That's Showbiz

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Notes:** The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story.

**Chapter 70 -- That's Showbiz**

"Everything okay?"

Sitting in the TV station's break room staring off into space on the following Tuesday afternoon, Ellie nevertheless heard the questioning voice and looked over to see legal department intern Wayne Harrison standing just inside the doorway.

"Of course," she answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Even though we only met a couple of weeks ago when you saved me from wandering around the hallways like a lost puppy, you seem like someone who's always on the go around here. Guess I'm not used to seeing you take a few minutes for yourself to just relax."

"You caught me," Ellie said. "I always try to find some spare time to relax at least two or three times a year."

Her sarcasm made the young man laugh.

"I'm sure I can relate," Wayne suggested while entering the room and moving closer toward the table where Ellie was sitting. "Just when I think my day can't get any busier…"

"And yet you wouldn't trade the experience for anything," Ellie interjected with certainty.

"You got it. Though I don't exactly mind that it looks like today I'll actually get to leave on time. What about you?"

"Yeah," Ellie replied. "I'll be out of here in about an hour and a half."

"That being the case, would you have any objection to the idea of us going out after work and getting something to eat."

"No thanks," she answered quickly.

Since Ellie didn't take any time to think about Wayne's invitation, he was concerned that he may have offended her.

"Hey, I didn't mean to put you on the spot or anything. We don't know each other that well, but you're the nicest person I've met since I've been here. I'm sure that could be considered faint praise since I work in Legal, but it's sincere. And I wouldn't mind getting to know you a little better. Of course for all I know you could have a boyfriend, in which case I've really overstepped."

"Don't worry, you didn't put me on the spot," Ellie assured once she was certain he was finished with his explanation. "And I'm not seeing anyone. But I already have plans tonight. That's why I was in here just now. Mentally preparing myself. I suppose you could say that this evening I have a date with a camera."

As Ellie elaborated on this for the noticeably confused Wayne's benefit, several miles away Manny was more curious than confused. Emma had invited her over that afternoon to discuss something. Manny wasn't sure what it could be, but Emma had given her the impression that it was something serious. Having arrived at the Nelson/Simpson home a short time ago, the pair was now hanging out in Emma's downstairs bedroom.

"So what's up?" Manny asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about the wedding," Emma revealed. "JT and I have set the date."

"That's great, Em," Manny responded excitedly.

"Yeah. Things are moving along nicely. And…well, I'm not sure how you'll react."

"To what?"

Meanwhile, Emma's intended was sitting in the Van Zandt kitchen with Liberty.

"I know a Monday is a weird day for a wedding," JT discussed, "but me and Emma both thought it made sense. Since friends from work want to come to the wedding and Mondays are TMD's slowest days, we can make due with a skeleton crew holding down the fort that evening. It's also easier to reserve the church for a Monday ceremony than any other day of the week. And doing it the third Monday in August, that'll still give us a couple weeks before her first semester starts."

"It all makes perfect sense to me," Liberty commented.

"By the way, we're having it at First Community Church. The wedding. Not her first semester."

"I figured you meant the wedding," she responded, shaking her head.

As Liberty considered the couple's church selection, something occurred to her.

"Say, isn't First Community…"

"The church my mother went to," he confirmed. "Yeah. That was Emma's idea. She said she thought it would be a way of including her in the day. Is she a great wife-to-be or what?"

"Indeed. And how is the apartment quest coming along?"

"We have a few more weeks before we need to have something definite," JT replied. "And several of the complexes we liked back when we were looking weeks ago always have a few vacancies. The biggest challenge will be narrowing down the choices to one."

JT then took one final drink from his glass before setting it back down on the table.

"Want another Coke?" Liberty offered.

"No thanks. But I do need you to help me out with something."

"Is this going to be the pitch to get me to lift all the heavy boxes when it comes time for the two of you to move your things into the new apartment?" she kidded him in a sarcastic tone.

"But of course," he responded in similar lighthearted fashion. "After all, being a mover and a shaker doesn't mean moving boxes. I need all the help I can get."

"Truer words were never spoken," Liberty fired back, which caused JT to laugh.

"Actually," he began again moments later in a more serious tone, "this has to do with the wedding."

"Not a problem," she assured him. "Just name it."

"I want you to stand up for me."

Once again, Liberty found herself taken by surprise courtesy of JT.

"You mean…"

"Best Man obviously isn't the right term," JT suggested. "But Best Person… That sounds good. How about it, Liberty? Will you do it?"

"JT…I don't know what to say."

"Liberty Van Zandt doesn't know what to say?" he teased. "Someone should alert the media at once."

"I know that nowadays it's becoming slightly less unusual for a woman to stand alongside the groom and a man to do so for the bride. Still, are you sure this is what you want?"

Liberty knew he wouldn't have asked her if he wasn't certain, but she still wanted the confirmation.

"It wasn't a tough choice," JT explained. "I'm lucky to have some very good friends, and I'm going to ask Sean to be my groomsman. But what it comes down to is…after Emma, you're the one I'm closest to. And you've had a big part in being there for both of us, so I can't think of a better choice. Besides, knowing that you have a certain rebel streak inside of you, I'm sure you'll be up for something like this that's a little unconventional."

Liberty smiled, momentarily remembering back to a time when they were in Grade 8 and JT referred to her as a rebel. She had always considered that particular conversation to be the first true step on the road to the pair becoming friends. Another year went by before she came to the realization that she could either continue to chase after a romance that wasn't going to happen, or she could choose let go of those feelings and allow room for that potential friendship to develop. While Liberty was not typically one to give up a challenge, she never regretted her choice.

Even with the rare "what if" moments her mind once entertained, she felt that she and JT had ultimately formed a bond that was closer than if they'd actually had whatever passes for a romantic relationship at the age of 13. Though she had given up a grade school crush, she instead was able to have a friendship with him that continued to grow over time. To the point where he was her best friend, and she was being asked to have this special role in his wedding.

"If I were to accept," Liberty spoke up, "you should know that I don't intend to hire a bunch of strippers for some sort of bawdy bachelor get-together."

"That's another plus about this arrangement," JT reasoned. "We'll save money on strippers and you'll get to be the one to jump out of a big cake."

Resisting JT's efforts to get her to laugh, Liberty attempted to look stern.

"I'll be glad to do that," she said. "But you'll have to convince Sean to jump out of a cake first. In front of the same group of guys, and wearing similar skimpy clothing as I would be expected to wear."

JT tried to look as though he was giving this serious consideration.

"So that's a Yes!" he soon exclaimed. "After all, with my powers of persuasion…"

Liberty finally cracked and began to laugh, and JT soon followed.

"No," he eventually said, "I'm not looking for a stripper-fest. I had a chance to see a stripper years ago, but strangely enough I fell asleep waiting and missed out on the grand performance. I'm sure that's a sign that I wasn't meant to see that kind of show. Anyway, there's only one woman who interests me.

"So Liberty, all jokes aside, how do you feel about standing up there with me while that one woman and I tie the knot?"

"I would be honored," Liberty replied without further delay, which clearly pleased JT.

Back at Emma's, Manny hoped she didn't appear too surprised by what she had just heard.

"Em, of course I'll be your maid of honor," she said excitedly.

As much as Manny had tried to prepare herself for the possibility – perhaps even the probability – of not being asked, she was both ecstatic and comforted that Emma had just made the request.

"Are you happy, Manny?" Emma kidded her. "It's kind of hard to tell."

"Very funny. But I'm a little confused. You said you weren't sure how I was going to take it. Is it because we've had more than our share of ups and downs, and you didn't think I'd want to do this? Because it can't be any further from the truth."

"No, it has more to do with my choice for a bridesmaid. I'm planning on asking Ashley."

"Oh," was all Manny could think to say.

"I know that the two of you have never… Well, we both know the history there. But you know she and I have been friends for awhile. Since our days working on the GM foods situation. Then she was a big help when I was getting SITE started. And we've always…"

"Em, you don't have to sell me on it," Manny interrupted, knowing her friend's explanation could easily continue on for some time.

"I don't?" Emma asked, somewhat surprised.

"She and I aren't going to lunge toward each other at the front of the church and start swinging fists. You were a little preoccupied at the time so you probably don't remember that just a few months ago, she and I sort of teamed up as peacemakers when you and Ellie Nash had your…situation…at the mall."

"That was definitely a forgettable experience," Emma remarked, preferring not to think about that encounter. "But now that you mention it, the two of you did seem to be past all the old anger. I suppose there's no reason for me to be concerned."

"Exactly," Manny confirmed. "And even if the anger WAS still there, this day is going to be about you and JT, so I know she and I would have been able to put up with each other long enough not to disrupt the happy occasion."

"You're right. Don't mind me, Manny. I'm probably just entering that nervous bride mode."

"Well as your newly appointed maid of honor, I'll help make sure there's no reason to worry about a thing."

"Good to know," Emma said of Manny's pledge. "By the way, I want to make sure we continue to keep Liberty in the loop on everything. You see, JT's planning to ask her to be the female equivalent of his Best Man but I'm sure she'll still…"

"He is?" Manny interrupted. "That's so sweet. I love it."

"Me too. I'd planned to ask her to be part of the bride's side along with you, but when JT mentioned the other night that he wanted to ask her it just sounded so right."

At that point, Manny started to think about the situation. She began to wonder if Emma wouldn't have asked her to be maid of honor if JT hadn't already chosen to ask Liberty to stand beside him. Emma hadn't given even a hint as to if this was the case, but Manny couldn't help but speculate.

Still, Manny could imagine Sean's voice asking her why it should matter since things were working out fine for everyone. And she knew he would be right. After all, it wasn't as though Emma would have asked her if she didn't want her to be involved.

She ultimately opted to take optimistic approach rather than that of self-doubt. Emma wanted her as maid of honor, otherwise it wouldn't happen, whether she was Emma's first choice or fifth. As far as Manny was concerned, she was Emma's only choice, and she was very happy to be asked. Case closed.

"Manny…are you with me?" Emma questioned her unresponsive friend.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Zoned out for a minute. Things are really starting to happen."

"I know. And I'm so glad you said Yes, because I can't imagine you not being a part of my wedding."

"Thanks Em."

"But there's just one more thing I think we should get settled up front," Emma added.

"Oh?" Manny asked, starting to feel a knot in her stomach.

"For the wedding…you're not – repeat NOT – wearing a bright pink dress."

Manny breathed a quiet sigh of relief and smiled, though she still felt the need to defend one of her preferred colors.

"Emma, pink has a way of going great with any occasion."

"Then find a pink motorcycle jacket for your next road adventure with Sean," Emma challenged.

"Well…okay, maybe not with EVERY occasion," she allowed while starting to laugh.

Several hours later in TMD's lobby, JT was standing quietly off to the side watching as Ellie offered her comments for the camera. Once she was done and the camera was off, JT walked over toward her and the crew.

"That was great," he told them.

Ellie then looked on as JT and the production supervisor spoke briefly. The crew soon made its way out the front door to get some nighttime exterior shots of the building and the well-lit parking area.

"If what I said – or the way I said it – sucked, feel free to tell them to chop me out of the whole thing," she suggested to JT once the others were gone.

"Not on your life," JT responded, not swayed by his friend's self-doubt.

"I was thinking this afternoon about what I would say and what I wouldn't say," the redhead explained. "After all, even though there's a lot that COULD be said, there's only a limited amount of time. But I also didn't want to think about it too much because I didn't want my opinion coming out sounding like it was scripted."

"Well now you can take it easy," JT said, hoping to ease her mind. "Everything was fine. We also got some good spontaneous comments from customers between screenings about 20 minutes ago. Not long before you got here. The cameras also got some good shots all around the place this afternoon, both inside and out."

"I still think you should have made an on-camera appearance," Ellie encouraged. "In fact, I'm sure it's not too late to shoot something."

"Thanks, but I wanted the focus to be on the customers and the place itself. Anyway, I recorded my voice-over this afternoon. I think the editing process must be a lot like magic, because it's hard to believe they're going to be able to fit all the different parts together into an ad that looks seamless."

"It can certainly be like putting a jigsaw puzzle together, from everything I've observed working on Caitlin's show. But the process sounds a lot more difficult than it really is, at least when you have good people with a lot of experience."

"Hey, you want a snack?" JT then offered. "Or something to drink?"

"No thanks," she answered, deciding this was probably a good time to leave and not wanting things to become uncomfortable. "I'll grab some dinner on my way home. In fact, I should probably head out now. The camera crew will be done getting their shots in a few minutes and I know you'll have to wrap things up with them before you go home to…"

"There's no rush," he told her.

"But…"

"JT," Spinner's voice interrupted from behind the concession counter, "could you come over here for a second?"

JT looked over to see a customer with Spinner.

"Ellie," JT said as he turned his head back toward her, "I'd really like to talk to you if you can spare a few minutes."

"Okay," she said with slight reluctance. "I'll wait for you. But I really shouldn't stay too long."

"You can relax in my office," he offered. "This shouldn't take much time."

As Ellie walked past the refreshment area on the way to the office, JT made his way toward Spinner and the customer. After a brief conversation, the customer was satisfied and went back in to continue watching his movie.

"I did try to tell him that we don't take checks," Spinner explained, not wanting JT to think he didn't make the effort to handle the situation himself. "But he wanted to hear it from someone in charge."

"Don't worry about it," JT assured him. "It happens."

"Who ever heard of writing a check for popcorn and a drink, anyway?"

"Hey, about a year ago there was this college guy who tried to get us to give him some popcorn, promising that he'd pay us back the next week. At least this guy tonight didn't seem like a scammer. Just hopeful to do things his way. But you can count on him coming back out here in 15 minutes to buy something, cash in hand. The need for popcorn can convince even a guy who'd rather pay later to pry some cash out of his wallet."

Spinner laughed, but he didn't doubt JT's prediction. Based on his time working at The Dot, he'd seen his share of uncommon customer requests, too.

"By the way, JT, thanks again for making sure I got to be in the commercial."

"No problem," JT responded. "But it was just as part of the background with you behind the counter. So I don't think it'll get you discovered by a talent scout."

"Funny. Anyway, it was cool. And this'll be the first time I've ever been seen on TV in color."

Curious, JT knew he had to question his friend about this.

"Spin, when were you ever on TV before? And why was it in black-and-white?"

"I'm sure you've done it too and just didn't know it," Spinner suggested. "You know how at those corner gas station/mini-marts there are these small TVs hanging from the ceiling over the counter? You can watch yourself as you're paying for your stuff. Only it's always in black-and-white, so they're either really cheap or they're going for that small-budget indie look like the way some of the stuff we show around here is done."

"Those are just closed-circuit TVs, Spin," JT attempted to explain. "In case there's a robbery, they'll have the situation recorded."

"I know all that," Spinner insisted, "but don't you think that after awhile all that stuff winds up going out on a satellite feed too? Everything else seems to. I don't have satellite TV, so I don't know for sure. But it's still cool to think that maybe we all get the chance to be guest stars of a closed-circuit TV channel."

Hearing that, JT honestly didn't think there was anything he could add.

"I've…never thought about it like that before," he finally remarked moments later. "Trust me."

"But today was much better," Spinner added. "That ad is gonna look great."

"I hope so."

"I think Liberty's gonna like it when she sees it," Spinner continued, sounding hopeful. "Don't you?"

"It's a safe bet," JT replied. "But be careful. It all starts with your cameo in this commercial. Soon she's going to want to go to the gas station with you to see a live performance of you purchasing a tank of gas and a pack of Twinkies. Just don't let all the praise go to your head."

Spinner rolled his eyes and began to clean off the counter while JT went to his office.

"Hey there, stranger," he greeted Ellie once inside the room. Sitting in the chair in front of JT's desk, Ellie stood up and turned to face him upon hearing his voice.

"Stranger?"

"You didn't have to get up," he commented rather than immediately answering her question

"It's okay," Ellie responded. "I can't stay long."

"Yeah, you mentioned that before."

"So what's with this 'stranger' business?" she again questioned.

"Just a joke," he said as he made his way toward the desk and near to where she stood. "It's just that in these last couple of weeks you've been kinda scarce around here."

"Don't worry," Ellie told him. "I've seen two shows here in the last two weeks. And you know that once we finally stopped playing phone tag, we were able to talk a couple times about when I should be here to do my part for the commercial."

"And for me to tell you that I'm getting married next month," JT added.

Ellie didn't say anything right away.

"That too," she finally responded several quiet moments later.

"Which you told me during our first successful phone call that you'd already learned about a few days earlier. Again, I wish I'd gotten to be the one to tell you the news. But like you said, we kept missing each other."

"The important thing is we DID continue to keep in touch, and it's so good that this commercial is really one step closer to being an on-air reality," Ellie remarked, much preferring to discuss the advertisement than the engagement.

"I hope you're not trying to avoid me," JT suggested, wanting there to be no tension between them. "After all, I know that Emma has never been on your list of favorite people."

"There's no avoiding," Ellie hoped to make clear. "I've been busy. You've definitely been busy. That's all."

"And what about your being in such a hurry to get out of here tonight?"

"No particular hurry," she claimed. "Look, you making this big step with Emma wouldn't keep me from sticking my head in here after seeing a movie to talk about that film, other films, what we've each been up to, etc."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"But with marriage comes certain inevitable changes," she admitted. "As much as Emma may be willing to tolerate our friendship, it might create less aggravation for you if we stuck to having our conversations during daylight hours. Maybe even shorter conversations if that's what's best."

"I understand what you're saying," JT granted. "You're right that a lot of things are going to change next month, and I'm looking forward to it. But the friendships won't change. Not with the people who are friends with both me and Emma, and not with the ones who are friends with just me. Maybe there won't always be the same amount of time to hang out, but I'm not going anywhere."

Not one to easily develop and maintain new friendships, Ellie had not wanted the one she'd built with JT over the last couple of years to fall by the wayside. But she had been concerned about this possibility since she first overheard about the engagement. So, though she tried not to be obvious about it, Ellie felt reassured that their friendship would remain solid, even with his impending nuptials.

"Don't forget that it's a two-way street," Ellie reminded. "You ever need anything…"

"I know," JT said, knowing she meant it. "And there IS one thing I want you to do for me."

"What's that?"

"Show up," he answered simply.

"Huh?"

"Obviously it's up to you," he prefaced. "Emma and I are starting to put together our list of who we're inviting to the big knot-tying event. Soon we'll send out invitations. Naturally, you'll be getting one. And…"

"JT, I don't think… What I mean is… I'm not exactly the going-to-weddings type."

"Maybe, but it's not like I'm asking you to be a flower girl. After all, Spinner would be crushed if we gave that job to anyone besides him."

Ellie couldn't help but laugh at JT's joke, just as he had hoped. But he also noticed that she still appeared concerned about attending.

"Seriously, Ellie, you should be there. "There's no reason for you NOT to attend."

"Even the fact that for a time I wondered what it would be like if you and I were a couple?"

Though Ellie had said this intentionally – blurting it out quickly so that there wouldn't be a chance to stop in mid-sentence – it was still hard for her to believe that he now knew. Though tempted to make a quick exit, she knew she had to stay and deal with this once and for all. Still, she turned so that she was no longer directly facing him.

"I… I hadn't planned to ever mention that," she followed up rather than waiting for a response. "Not that I'm ashamed for having that curiosity. There just didn't seem to be any sense in bringing it up. But with you wanting me to be at your wedding – and the probability of you offering a lot of reasons why you think I should be there - you needed to know the one reason why I definitely should not be invited."

Not hearing JT say anything in response, Ellie wasn't sure if he was shocked by, annoyed with or indifferent to her admission. But she wasn't ready to turn back to see which emotion might be written on his face.

For his part, JT needed a moment. Though he didn't consider her confession a bad thing, it caught him off guard. He also appreciated the fact that during however long she had those feelings for him she hadn't pushed them onto him or tried to let it interfere in their friendship or in his relationship with Emma. So he wanted to reassure her and not say the wrong thing.

A thought soon came to him, but JT waited an additional moment to see if she'd turn back toward him. Once he realized she wasn't going to, though, he knew it was up to him to speak up.

"Mind if I ask you a question?"

"You don't have to," she replied. "I'll explain. Or try to."

Ellie slowly walked away from him, stopping at the filing cabinet near the door. She turned so that she was once again facing him, but she focused her eyes on the floor rather than looking him in the eyes.

"It was months ago," Ellie began. "Not any one particular moment. You're fun to be around, JT. Interesting to talk to, well beyond just our shared interests. You understand me, which isn't a common occurrence in my life. At some point I realized that it wouldn't be difficult at all to fall… But I never gave it serious consideration or truly thought about acting on the feeling. I have a lot of respect not only for you as my friend but also for your relationship. Sure, at the time I didn't think Emma fully appreciated you, but I still respected the relationship.

"Maybe I should have said something to you then, for the sake of total honesty. But I don't want you to think I've been lying or being secretive all this time. I put those thoughts away, and I've never allowed any of it to affect our friendship."

"I'm glad you told me," JT said after she was done. "But it didn't answer the question I had in mind."

"Oh. What was it you wanted to ask?"

"Was I the guy?" he asked simply.

"The guy?"

"A few months ago we were sitting in here one night. I was telling you about how Emma and I had worked everything out after our fights about me buying this place. Then I asked how things were going in your own social life. You mentioned there was a guy, but that there was no way anything could happen and so you weren't going to do anything. I remember you tried to downplay it, saying it wasn't like you felt a special connection to him. But your voice wasn't so convincing about that."

"Yeah," Ellie quietly confirmed. "You were that guy. I was vague enough so that I was sure you wouldn't know what I meant. And at the same time I was able to declare out loud – if only for my own benefit - that I would never try to make anything more out of what was just…one of those unplanned thoughts that's never meant to become a reality."

"I had wondered about that conversation," JT recalled. "Was almost sure it sounded like you meant me."

"I'm sorry," she offered.

"Don't be," JT was quick to respond. "I didn't know for sure, so I never mentioned it. Hadn't thought about it again until now. After all, if I'd been wrong, it would have seemed like I had a huge ego to just assume. I can't say I've ever had any of the same kind of curiosity. But I don't want you to take that in a bad way, because it's not you. You see, that goes for everyone who isn't Emma. When it comes to any of my not-so-platonic thoughts, whether rated 'PG' or right on up to 'No One Under 18 Admitted' levels, she's been it since months before we even got together."

Ellie understood and knew not to take his comment as a negative about her but as further proof of his confidence in his relationship with Emma. While very much relieved that her revelation hadn't resulted in bringing an end to their friendship, there was still one more factor that she knew had to be considered.

"Are you going to say anything about this conversation to Emma?" she asked. "I'll understand if you feel like you need to."

"There's nothing for me to tell her," JT replied. "After all, you didn't do anything but mention some thoughts you had awhile back that you were never going to act on. Anyway, I'm glad you've told me. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't flattering. It is. But the main thing is that you not feel bad about any of it. Which starts with you stopping with the 'stare a hole into my carpet' routine. It's okay to look up at me."

Ellie slowly looked up at her friend once again and was reassured to see that his face looked as calm and relaxed as his voice was sounding.

"Much better," JT remarked. "I know you're not going to agree right now, but you telling me all this shows exactly what a good friend you are. Which is just more of a reason why you'll soon be getting an invitation in the mail."

"JT…"

"Now that you know that those old feelings aren't going to be a problem, was there any other reason you don't think you belong in a church pew watching your buddy get hitched?"

"That was it," Ellie admitted.

"Then no excuses, Ms. Nash" he said in a lighter tone. "I want all my friends to be there. So just consider it the high price you have to pay for being associated with me."

"I've never figured out how you do that," Ellie said after she was done laughing at JT's last comment.

"What's that?"

"Make it so damn easy for people to feel at ease, even in uncomfortable situations," she elaborated.

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to lock you away in the secret dungeon I keep underneath this theater. Oops! I guess now it's not a secret anymore."

"Go ahead and send the invitation," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Like I wasn't going to…"

"And I'll consider attending," she noted sarcastically.

Just then, the production supervisor knocked on the open door, and JT motioned for the man to come on in.

"And that's my cue to leave," Ellie announced.

"See you later, Ellie. And thanks again for going in front of the camera. For everything."

She smiled, nodding her head.

"You're welcome, JT," Ellie then said. "Only next time I won't work for free."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. My asking price will be nothing less than a bottle of water and a bag of Doritos."

JT laughed.

"You stars with your huge demands," he jokingly complained. "No wonder mainstream films never come in under budget."

Leaving JT's office, Ellie sighed in relief. Things between the two of them were fine. She also told herself once again that she really could keep those old feelings out of the way.

'In that box. In the back of the closet. Never again to see the light of day. The way it has to be.'

An hour later found JT and Emma at his place sitting on the floor in front of the couch. A bowl of popcorn the only thing separating them as they put together a list of people each of them wanted to invite to their wedding.

"Interesting choice," Emma noted while writing down the initials for the pick JT had just made.

"Yeah, well once you've teamed up with someone to help a guinea pig give birth, you've got a bond with that person for life."

"I'll pull out one of the yearbooks this week and make sure we get Ms. H's name spelled correctly,"

"Good idea. Now…who is Zeke?"

"My boss's assistant," Emma reminded him. "He was a big help my first week, especially considering how frazzled I was because you had just gotten out of the hospital. You met him once when you went with me to drop some copy for a new pamphlet off at the office on our way to lunch."

"Oh, was that the guy who has two thumbs on one hand? Weirdest handshake I've ever had."

"No, that was Anthony. He's involved with distribution."

"Naturally," JT remarked sarcastically.

"I think we've got just about everybody," Emma then announced. "Doesn't take too long when we have a lot of the same people in mind. And there's still time if we think of any others over the next few days who slipped our minds."

"By the way," JT interjected, "I noticed that when I mentioned Ellie's name a few minutes ago, you just wrote it down and didn't say anything. Not that I'm complaining, but I just wanted to make sure you're okay with her being there."

"Would she have been on my Top 1000 list of possible invitees? Nope. But she's your friend. She was willing to be there for you during the worst time in your life. It wouldn't make sense for her not to also have the opportunity to be there during a far better time. Besides, the only person I'm going to notice that day is you."

"Have I mentioned how much I like the way you think?" JT asked.

"Probably, but don't let that stop you from saying it again whenever you feel the urge."

"Though I still don't know why you'd put Toby's name on the list," he added.

"I know you two lost touch," she began to explain. "And honestly, it's never really occurred to me to suggest ways we could all keep in regular contact. But the other day I came across a picture of you, me, Manny and Toby. We couldn't have been older than 13. I think it would be nice to have him come back here for the wedding."

"If you want him here, that's good enough for me," JT reasoned, despite his lack of enthusiasm for Toby's potential presence.

"Glad to hear it," Emma remarked. "All this compromise and being reasonable…do you think maybe we're overqualified for marriage?"

JT laughed.

"Well, there IS this thing I've heard of called 'make-up sex,' which actually doesn't have anything to do with putting make-up on each other. I guess it's called 'M.U.S.' for short. Anyway, I'm sure we'll be able to come up with little things to argue about sometimes after we're married. If only to get right to the M.U.S."

"Once again, JT, you prove to have a creative – not to mention mischievous – way of thinking. And once again, I love it."

"Good to know. And speaking of creative, I was reading this morning about this local club that has deaf karaoke on Tuesdays. I guess it would have to be people who are mostly deaf. If they were completely deaf, that would unusual. So, what do you say? Should we see about getting some of them for the reception?"

Emma rolled her eyes.

"And then sometimes," she commented, "you have an insane way of thinking."


	71. A Girl Like You

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Chapter 71 -- A Girl Like You**

"So…" JT spoke up while holding his fiancée's hands in his and looking into her eyes, "what do you think?"

The couple was standing in the middle of a vacant apartment's empty living room. It was a mid-morning in early August. With two weeks until their wedding day, the pair still hadn't reached a final decision about where they would live.

"I'll admit this is my favorite of all the places we've looked at," Emma answered. "And it's certainly in a good location."

"Not too far from TMD," JT said in agreement. "Or the university for that matter."

"Close enough to the neighborhood and our friends and family," Emma added, "but with just enough distance so there's a real sense of being on our own and not just down the block. If that makes sense."

"It does," he confirms.

"And it's a second-floor apartment," she added, "which we were hoping for."

In their research, the couple had read that robberies are more likely to happen with first-floor apartments than those on upper levels.

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "Another plus."

JT has known Emma long enough, however, to sense that as much as she really liked this apartment she was not completely sold on it.

"But…" he prompted.

"It's just that I remember when we were first looking at apartments months ago," she began to explain. "Back when I thought we were just looking at places for you, not knowing that you were planning on proposing. This apartment seems a little bigger than what you had in mind at the time."

"I know. But the more I've been thinking about it, the more it makes sense to have a small spare room. Right now you've got the big desk in your bedroom. Between our bed, your stuff and my stuff, there's not going to be much extra space in what'll be our bedroom for that desk. But, we could put it in the spare room and set up the computer in there."

"It WOULD make for a nice workspace we could both really use," Emma said, starting to see what JT had in mind.

"Without having to spend too many extra hours away from each other, my favorite newlywed-to-be," he added.

"True. I'm sure it's going to be tough enough at first to be apart during the day."

"At first?" JT repeated, pretending to sound offended, which amused Emma.

"So with that being the case," she continued, "me spending a lot of late night hours at the library writing a paper or you staying extra late at the office working on the next big promotional campaign would be torture."

"We'll be able to give each other some space to get stuff done, but with easy access to one another for those much needed breaks. I'm predicting the need for lots of breaks, by the way."

Though JT's last comment – as he intended – made her laugh, Emma liked his way of thinking in that regard. She was sure they'd both be anxious to get to those breaks. And on a more serious level, she agreed with the practicality of having such a workspace. She also had a hunch that this was another way in which JT was encouraging her career goals, since that room would make it that much more possible to write at length.

There was, however, one more concern that Emma needed to voice.

"And the cost?" she questioned.

"A few extra bucks a month," JT replied. "You've been keeping the record of prices for all the places we've looked at. So you know there doesn't seem to be a predictable pattern to all this. Some of the one-bedroom apartments we've seen around town were nearly as much as this two-bedroom. Ones we didn't even bother to look at were even higher. This can fit in the budget we put together, and – even more important – give us more time together even when we both have a lot to do."

"That's all true," she agreed.

"Besides, we both know the thing that's really going to kill our budget," JT added.

"Speak for yourself. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Having to buy a new mattress ever few weeks."

Emma laughed, which merely encouraged him to keep going.

"Come on, Emma. You know we're going to keep wearing them out."

"You are so bad sometimes, James Tiberius," she pretended to scold him.

"Which is why you're marrying me," he remarked, smirking.

"One of many reasons."

Without moving away from JT, Emma looked once more at the room they stood in.

"You know," she soon spoke up, "as we were walking through each room – and even while we were examining for any possible problems we'd want fixed before moving in – I could easily picture the two of us very much at home here."

"So you're saying…"

"I'm saying…let's go tell the lady in the office to put together a rental agreement. We've found our place."

"Yes!" JT shouted enthusiastically as he pulled Emma into a hug.

Several hours later, Spinner and Liberty were sitting in his car, which was parked along the curb outside of her house. The two friends had just finished having lunch together, and he was dropping her off before going back to work.

"So Liberty, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Spinner revealed, with a look of curiosity on his face.

"What might that be?"

"Well, with JT's wedding coming up soon, I've gotta know…are you gonna have to wear a tux? I mean, obviously you're not a guy, but you're the best man. Kinda."

"No tuxedo, thankfully," she replied. "As Best Person, I can get away with wearing a dress."

"That's good. Not that you couldn't look good in a suit. But it would just be really strange."

"You mean you've never been curious to try on a dress?" Liberty teased.

"No, I could never be one of those transdressites," Spinner replied.

"What's that?" she asked, unfamiliar with the word he was using.

"Men who walk around all day dressed up like women," he explained, causing Liberty to figure out what he was talking about.

"I think you mean transvestites," she said as a suggestion rather than trying to sound like she was trying to correct him.

"No, I think that's only the name for women who dress up like men," Spinner responded after considering her words. "Because it has 'vest' in the name. So for men dressing like women you'd probably have 'dress' in the name. So it would be transdressites. I think."

Liberty smiled. Even though she knew he was incorrect, she appreciated his reasoning.

"Okay, Gavin. Now it's my turn to ask you a question. And don't worry…it has nothing to do with trading wardrobes."

Spinner laughed while also growing curious since he noticed that Liberty now had a serious look on her face.

"What is it, Liberty?"

"I would like you to…"

She stopped short of finishing her sentence, realizing that it was wrongly coming out sounding more like an order than a question.

"Gavin," she began again, "would you go to the wedding with me? Not as two friends going there together but…as my date?"

"Your date?"

"I know I must sound awfully bold, but I hope this isn't completely unexpected. After all, I'm sure you've noticed that I tend to speak boldly at times. Not always, however. I was certainly very hesitant when it came to entering my last relationship. When I asked for JT's advice at that time, he said that I'm never hesitant when it comes to knowing what I really want. That I go for it, even at the risk of not succeeding. JT was right, and I should have trusted those instincts and not started going out with the one who shall remain nameless.

"And now, with you, I don't feel the slightest hesitance in admitting that I would like to go out with you. Obviously, though, it would depend on how you feel about the idea. You should also know that if you'd prefer to remain friends solely, I'll be okay with that. The friendship we've developed over this summer is special to me, and I don't want to lose that regardless of anything else. I'm not trying to make this an either/or situation. I just know that I had to take the risk and tell you what I'm thinking."

"I do have a problem with your idea, Liberty," Spinner said once she was finished.

"Oh," Liberty responded, hoping to mask her disappointment. "Well, as I said, it won't affect…"

"The problem," he interrupted, "is that this wedding is still two weeks away. I don't want to have to wait that long before our first date."

Liberty smiled, relieved by the nature of his so-called problem, and happy to know that her interest in him wasn't one-sided. Spinner, too, was extremely happy. The more he'd come to know Liberty, the more he'd hoped that something more could happen. But he wanted it to be when she was sure she was ready to date again. Also, having learned how pushy and obnoxious Patrick had been, Spinner was willing to just let things happen naturally.

"So yes, I'd really like to be your date for the wedding, but I'd also like to take you out this week for our first date."

"I think that's a superb idea," she told him.

"I'm closing up tonight, but do you want to go out tomorrow night?"

As with her decision to ask Spinner out, Liberty similarly had no hesitance when it came to answering his question in the affirmative.

Later on that afternoon at TMD, JT was sitting in his office looking over some invoices when the phone rang. Though it had only been a few hours since they were together, JT was more the happy that the caller was Emma.

"Just wanted to let you know I spoke to Manny," she explained, "and she and Sean are free for tonight."

"Great. After dinner, we can show them our apartment."

"JT, you do get the fact that we can't just walk right in yet, don't you? It's not officially ours until next week."

"I know," he confirmed. "They've got a week to clean the carpet and take care of a few other little odds and ends. Then later on next week, we'll get the keys and be able to start moving most of our stuff in. That way, when we get back from our honeymoon, we're not coming back to an empty apartment. It'll be all ready for us. But as for tonight, we can at least show them the outside of the building. Let them see where we're going to live."

"I still can't believe we finally found THE place that's going to be OUR place," Emma commented excitedly.

This discussion then reminded JT of something that had been on his mind.

"Oh, I forgot to ask you this morning… Is Jack still bummed?"

"Maybe a little," Emma answered. "Even though he's still too young to really understand about us getting married, he knows it means you and I will be living somewhere different, and he was disappointed that you couldn't just move into the house."

"No worries, Emma. Next time I see him, I'll make sure he knows we're moving but we're not going away. Then I'll tell him all about how there's going to be a big cake on the day we get married. Once he starts thinking about a cake that for him will practically be life-sized, there won't be room in his mind for any disappointments."

"Good plan."

Just then, JT received another phone call.

"Hey Emma, my other line's ringing. Mind if I put you on hold for a sec?"

"No problem."

After placing Emma on hold, JT answered the other call.

"JT?" the voice on the other end questioned after JT's customary greeting.

JT, recognizing the voice but not expecting it, didn't immediately answer.

"Um…yeah," he finally responded. "Please hold."

JT quickly put the caller on hold, then pushed the button to return to Emma's line.

"I'm back."

"You were missed," she greeted him.

"On the other line…it's Toby," JT revealed. "What do you think HE wants?"

"What did he say?" Emma questioned.

"Not much. I put him on hold."

"JT…"

"He and I haven't talked in forever. Waiting another minute or two won't hurt him."

"I'm guessing he's called to RSVP," Emma suggested. "He's one of the few we sent an invitation to that we were still waiting to hear back from."

"Okay, that makes sense," JT accepted.

"I'll let you go so you can talk to him," Emma then told him.

"If you must… Oh, what time should I pick you up tonight?"

"I've got something I still need to do this afternoon," she explained. "And taking traffic into account, how about I just meet the three of you at Ryan's around 6:30?"

"No problem."

"Love you, Jamie. And while you're talking to Toby, try not to sound too eager to get him off the phone. It wouldn't surprise me if he were also calling you because he felt guilty about his response – or rather his non-response – to what happened. After all, he could have just as easily called me to RSVP."

"Love you too, angel. But as for Toby…no promises."

With their conversation at its end, JT pushed a button to once more speak with Toby.

"I'm back," JT announced. "Sorry about that."

"No problem," Toby responded, some uneasiness evident in his voice. "Hi JT."

The young man was sitting in the living room of the home he shared with his father. Though he had initially considered sending JT an email, ultimately he knew he should do this by phone.

"Hello there, Toby," JT returned the greeting in a somewhat more formal tone than he would normally use. "It's been a long time. What have you been up to?"

"Well…last month I was made a mod on this anime-related message board I've been posting to. And…"

"That's big, Toby. Congrats on that."

"Thanks, but…"

"My turn," JT interrupted. "Let's see… I bought a business, graduated, nearly died, got engaged to Emma, got my first commercial made and on the air… Too soon to know how much of an effect that ad will have on business. Oh, and last month I bought a new pair of shoes. Sounds like we've both had a busy year so far."

"I thought you were asking about the more recent past," Toby said. "So anyway, I wanted to call and let you know I got the wedding invitation. I'll be there."

"That's good to know. We'll mark you down. If there's nothing else, I'm sure we both have things to…"

"JT, I… The other reason I wanted to call you was to explain."

When JT didn't say anything in response, Toby decided to continue.

"The day Ash called and told me what Jay had done, at first it didn't seem real to me. That's the sort of thing that happens to other people. Not to someone you feel like you know as well as you know yourself. Awhile after talking to her, I was in my car in the driveway for probably a half-hour. Just sitting there, knowing I should go to Toronto. If not, then I at least needed to make a phone call. But we'd stopped keeping in touch. It had been probably a year since you and I had talked, and I wasn't sure…"

"Believe me when I tell that none of what you're talking about has kept me awake at night," JT stopped him.

It was true that Toby's lack of any attempt at communication with him following the stabbing wasn't something he thought about often or for any extended length of time. Still, on those occasions when the idea did cross his mind, it annoyed him.

"So it's okay to be honest and just say you couldn't be bothered," JT continued. "That's better than some crap excuse that you didn't think you should say anything since we'd lost touch. Because you know that if something happened to you today, even after all this time, me and Emma would be on the road so we could get to you and help out. Or at the very least we'd be on the phone."

"I'm not trying to make any excuses," Toby countered. "Only explaining what I was thinking. You're right, JT. I know you would have been in contact. And from past experience I know it would have been the right thing at the right time. After my eating…situation…a few years ago – the situation that resulted in me passing out on the gym floor in the middle of a wrestling match – you were right there for me. Telling me things were going to get better. Reminding me I had people in my life that I was worrying and so I needed to stop what I'd been doing. Letting me know that I'd even managed to shake up my best friend, the usually unshakable JT Yorke. All while somehow finding a way to make me laugh in spite of everything. I've never forgotten that.

"But that's not something I can do. Not that I wouldn't want to, but I've never been good at coming up with the right words after bad things have happened to people close to me. Computer disaster? No problem. I'm all over it. Using the computer to help solve a problem during a crisis – like when we had to find Emma after she got mixed up with that online guy? Consider it done. But being in the moment and knowing what to say and how to say it? We haven't talked in a year, and suddenly I'm going to reappear acting like some stammering, bumbling distraction at the worst possible time? You didn't need that."

"Next time, you let me decide that," JT said sternly.

"You're right. If nothing else, I could have written. I know I made the wrong choice, and I'm sorry I wasn't around in some way. I'd say that I'd do a lot better next time, but I don't want there to have to be a next time."

JT sighed. He wanted to remain annoyed, but he could hear the genuine regret in Toby's voice. And he also had no desire to waste time or energy dwelling on the matter.

"Absolutely no next times," he then said to Toby, his voice losing some of its harshness. "That's something we can agree about."

"Yeah…I guess that's a start," Toby suggested. " So how ARE you doing? The times I've talked to Ash, she said you seem like you're better."

"I'm good," JT replied simply. Even though he wasn't going to hold a grudge, he also didn't feel motivated to go into great detail.

"I was glad to get the invitation," Toby said once it was clear that JT wasn't going to expand on his "I'm good" response.

Since, all things considered, it would likely disappoint Toby to know that that sending him the invitation was Emma's idea, JT decided not to mention it.

"So we'll see you there?" JT questioned.

"I wouldn't miss it," Toby answered quickly. "By the way, it says on the invitation that you can bring a guest."

"Right."

"I mention that because there's someone I'd like to bring with me."

"No problem. It's been a long time since we've seen your dad."

"Very funny," Toby responded, appreciating that JT at least seemed comfortable enough with him again to make the sarcastic comment. "I was thinking more in terms of the person I've been going out with for the past few months."

"I guess you HAVE been busy, Toby. Of course you should bring her along. But you'd better warn her what to expect from you. That is, if she doesn't already know."

"Know what?"

"How you'll probably start in on your belief that it would be so much better if there was pie at the reception instead of cake."

"I wouldn't do that," Toby claimed. "Obviously there's no such thing as a wedding pie."

"Or a birthday pie," JT said as their conversation was gradually becoming more relaxed and informal. "But that never stopped you from having pie every year on your birthday. But I admit it was always fun watching Ashley's mom try to get candles to stay in place long enough for you to blow them out. Now imagine trying to stick a tiny bride and groom on top of an apple pie."

"I like cake, JT. It's just that when I have a choice, I'd rather have pie."

"Pie is okay sometimes, but that's just crazy talk. Not only does cake work as a dessert with any type of meal, but it comes in any size, from a cupcake fit for one person to a huge cake for dozens of people. You can always build onto a cake, but have you ever heard of a seven-layer pie?"

This made Toby laugh.

"This discussion could probably go on for an hour," Toby remarked.

"I think one time it did."

JT realized they had started talking similarly to how they used to back when he considered Toby his closest friend after Emma and Manny. But that's basically what the last few moments of the phone call had been – a recycled conversation. He felt as though he was now simply going through the motions, unlike during his conversations with the people he considered his friends. The people JT talked to on a regular basis. Whereas he and Toby haven't spoken in a long time, yet he was feeling at a loss for something to say. Or at least anything JT has an interest in sharing with him.

It wasn't even a matter of being annoyed that Toby didn't attempt to reach out after the stabbing. Their formerly close friendship simply didn't seem as though it could still work now that they were a little older and appeared to have less in common. And though there have been any number of times when JT put forth the extra effort to either build a new friendship or work to strengthen an existing one, he wasn't feeling that same need to try and make this one work. Still, JT now agreed with Emma that Toby belonged at the wedding, if only for old time's sake and what had once been a good friendship.

"I should really get back to work now," JT said, ready to bring this conversation to a close.

"I know."

"But I think this was a good call. I'm glad you said what you did. Don't worry, Tobes. If a part of me was mad at you before, that's gone now."

Toby was pleased to hear JT finally call him Tobes again. JT had been the one who first started calling him that, and it seemed to catch on within their circle of friends. To Toby, the fact that JT had now used the name again meant that things were okay between them. But he also knew, perhaps instinctively, that after the wedding they probably weren't going to suddenly start having more conversations and become close again. Some childhood friendships – such as JT's with Emma – continue and grow even beyond what one would have ever imagined. Others – such as JT's with Toby – had their special place and time. They don't necessarily come to an end, but they can't be the same as they once were. Despite this, Toby was glad that the two of them were at least on better terms again.

"So…you're sure I'll see you at the wedding?" JT asked before they wrapped up this phone call.

"I wouldn't miss it," Toby answered with certainty.

Emma had earlier told JT she had something to do before meeting him and their friends for dinner. Late afternoon found her at her planned destination – standing before the grave of the one who would have become her mother-in-law, Jillian Yorke.

"I'll admit I'm not really sure how this is done," Emma began talking. "Whether I should go ahead and speak as though you were here, or simply think what I would say without voicing it. I've always believed in God and the notion of an afterlife, even though I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've been to church in the last 18 years. But I'm not sure if being in Heaven means you're completely removed from what happens here in the land of the living, or if a part of you is still able to hear – or even sense – the words directed toward you. Still, I know from what JT told me that he felt a sense of communication and understanding with you when he came out here that morning a couple months ago. So here I am."

Emma then smiled.

"Two weeks from today we're getting married. In some ways it feels like it's taking forever to get to that day. In other ways it feels like time is flying by and I barely have a chance to catch my breath. I'll admit I'm a little nervous. But it's that kind of nervous feeling that's due to being excited and eager, not apprehensive.

"Anyway, with everything that's happening these days, while there's still time I wanted to come out here and…"

She paused and thought for a moment.

"What IS there that I could say that you wouldn't already know? Even so, there are a few things I wanted to tell you. Things I wish to God I could say to you in person. But somehow, some way, I feel like you'll be able to hear me.

"First and foremost, I love your son. Completely and without question. Even when I think he's determined to drive me crazy. And I'm continuing to discover new levels for how deep this love is. I also know how much he loves me too. I can feel it every time he looks at me or says something to me.

"None of that means I'm thinking unrealistically about marriage. I know it's not all one big honeymoon. It's going to take work. Give and take. For one thing, even with all that we know about each another, sharing living space will no doubt introduce a brand new set of challenges. Okay, it's true that I was practically living at the house with him those first few days he was out of the hospital, but that was different. But up to now, all the ups and downs we've been through have only made us stronger. So even if the period of adjustment won't always be smooth, there's no one else I'd want to share this experience with. No one else I'd want to share my life with.

"I also want to assure you that I will do my absolute best to take care of him. We've always had a knack for looking out for one another, and that will only get stronger once we're married."

At this point, Emma knelt down. Her eyes focused on the late woman's name.

"If there had been any way for me to have protected him that night in his office… The night he almost died. The night my world nearly shattered into a million irreparable pieces. It was so hard at first not to feel like I had let him down in some way, but he was quick to change my attitude about that.

"It's taken time – more than he would have preferred, I know – but he's much more at ease in his surroundings again. I think there's a part of him that's always going to feel somewhat more guarded than he was before the stabbing, and I suppose that's inevitable. But he's still JT. With the generally upbeat attitude. With that grin that appears on his face when he's either got a joke to tell or an outrageous new idea up his sleeve…or both. Not even a cretin with a knife could do permanent damage to JT's spirit."

Emma then reached out with her right hand and placed it on the top of the gravestone.

"Even though you're not here in person, I know you would be happy for us. You brought this great person into the world, and I thank you."

Letting go of the gravestone, she stood up.

"Now…if only you could tell me the secret to being patient. It's probably one of those mysteries of life we don't get to uncover until after we're gone.

"Two weeks never seemed so far away."

**Next Chapter –** Time's up!


	72. Going To The Chapel

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Chapter 72 -- Going To The Chapel**

_"With so many women in the world and only one JT Yorke, I'm devoted to the cause of leaving myself available for everyone. It would be unfair to deprive them all if I had to pick just one person."_

_0000_

_"It's obvious we're destined to be together. Like cake and ice cream. Like peanut butter and ketchup."_

_0000_

_"Hey, I'm just trying to stay in shape. When we get married one day, I'll have to carry you like this over a threshold. Of course if you'd prefer, when that day comes I could just throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes."_

_0000_

_"But first, let's just stay here for a few more minutes. I need you not to let go of me for awhile."_

_0000_

_"How is he?"  
"Are you a relative?"  
"JT doesn't really have…What I mean to say is…You see…He's mine."_

_0000_

_"But I was able to make you smile just now. I've been able to do that since the first day I met you. I want to keep making you smile for the rest of our lives."_

_0000_

_"My answer is 'Yes.' I would love to marry you."_

* * *

The next two weeks went by quickly, with Emma, JT, family and friends preparing for the big event.

Moving furniture into the new apartment. Making preparations for the reception. Dress purchases and subsequent alterations. Tuxedo fittings. These were just some of the activities that kept everyone busy.

But now those two weeks were up. It was Monday morning.

Spike had made her way downstairs and into Emma's bedroom. Seeing her daughter still sleeping, she smiled. Walking over toward the bed, she gently placed her hand on Emma's shoulder.

"Em?"

Emma slowly opened her eyes to find her mother standing beside the bed, which caused her to quickly sit up.

"Is everything ok?" she immediately questioned. "I didn't oversleep, did I? God…tell me I didn't sleep through the whole day and miss my own wedding!"

Spike suppressed the urge to laugh.

"Yes. No. And you didn't. In that order. Relax, Emma. I know you were up late last night talking to Manny. And I assume it took awhile for you to fall asleep, with your mind no doubt filled with all that the new day would have in store. So I turned off your alarm earlier this morning to let you have an extra hour of sleep. With the wedding not until early this evening, I felt you were entitled to a little more rest before your busy day began."

"Thanks," Emma responded. It was true that it was quite some time before she had finally fallen asleep. And even after that, she awoke more than once. Thoughts of her wedding day swirling around in her head. Excitement, curiosity, nervousness… she had felt it all.

Emma reached over and grabbed the framed photo of herself and JT that was on the nightstand. Staring at it, she smiled.

"We're actually getting married today," she remarked.

"It's still hard to believe that the day is finally here," Spike commented.

"A year ago I never would have imagined I'd be getting married at this point in my life."

"I know I've already said it before," Spike prefaced, "but I want to just say again that I am very happy for you both."

Hearing this, Emma was very pleased.

"I know, Mom. And you know how much it means hearing you say it, especially since I know it took a little time for you to get used to the idea."

"Not too much time," Spike assured. "You two really threw me for a loop with your announcement. But I have confidence that the two of you will make things work, both during the good times and the more challenging times. You've both already faced certain obstacles that many longtime married couples would have trouble dealing with, and those difficult situations only made you even stronger."

Emma nodded, extremely touched by her mother's words.

"I'd also like to think that JT knows that you both have my full support," Spike added. "But I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, growing curious.

"Ever since the night you two told me and Archie about your engagement, it feels like there's been this distance between me and JT that has never been there before. It's not anything he's said, but he seems more formal around me. Like we're polite strangers."

"I think it goes back to your first reaction to our big news," Emma suggested. "He was confident you'd be all for it right away, and since your first reaction was...different than that, he thought it was him you weren't sure of rather than the situation. That you didn't like him or feel like you trusted him."

"It wasn't," Spike was quick to interject. "I've known JT most of his life and have always liked him. He's becoming my son-in-law today, but he's already been like part of this family for a long time."

"I know, and I've assured JT several times that you just needed a little time to get used to the idea of our getting married and that you really do approve both of the marriage and of him. Deep down he knows this, and I'm sure once we ARE married today and he sees that you didn't stand up and object during the ceremony or throw rotten tomatoes at us while we said our vows, he'll feel absolutely reassured that everything is ok as far as you're concerned."

"I'm glad. There's no reason there should ever be any tension between me and JT. Now, I hope you're hungry. Manny's bringing over breakfast in a few minutes."

"Mom, I don't know if there's time."

"It's all under control, Em," her mother calmly assured. "And while I know it's easier said than done, just relax and enjoy everything about this day."

Spike leaned down and gave her daughter a hug before going back upstairs.

Emma placed the picture back on the nightstand after her mother left. She was tempted to phone JT to see how he was doing but decided against it. Manny had cautioned her that it's bad luck for the bride and groom to speak to or see one another before the wedding. While this particular bride-to-be wasn't one to accept superstitious claims as truth, she decided to play along, if only to prevent her maid of honor from worrying that something would go wrong. Still, Emma wondered what her fiancé was up to at that moment.

Groom-to-be JT happened to be at home sitting on one of two kitchen chairs that were now in the livingroom facing the TV. Staring down at the notepad in his hands, he sat motionless for several minutes when a thought suddenly occurred to him. He quickly grabbed the pen from the chair beside him. But before he started to write anything down, he stopped, rolled his eyes, and put the pen back down.

Though he was starting to become frustrated with himself, he didn't have time to dwell on it because his thoughts were soon interrupted by a knock at the door.

Grateful for the distraction, JT wasted no time in putting the pen and notepad down on his chair and then going to the front door.

"Well..." a sarcasm-laced voice greeted him soon after he opened the door. "If that's what you're planning to wear to your own wedding, it's obvious I got here just in time."

JT, clad in shorts and a T-shirt, laughed.

"Paige Michalchuk – Fashion Lifesaver," he jokingly announced.

"The one and only."

"Come on in," JT invited.

Paige gave JT a quick hug and then walked inside but stopped before she got too far into the livingroom.

"I didn't realize the minimalist look was back in style, hon," she remarked.

JT realized she must be referring to the fact that the TV and two chairs were the only items left in the room.

"Everything else in here that we wanted to keep is already over at the new apartment now," he explained. "While we're away on the honeymoon, Sean and Craig are going to stop by and move the chairs and the TV over there for us. Then after we get back, we'll get whatever last odds and ends we want from the rest of the house, and then I'll send word to my… I'll send word to the owner that I've left and that he can sell the place or do whatever he wants with it."

A part of JT had been sorely tempted to call his estranged father, figuring that the news of his and Emma's wedding would finally render the attorney speechless and perhaps even ill. But ultimately JT didn't feel like wasting the time on this particular day with even a brief phone call to Nathaniel Yorke.

"Feel free to sit down," he then offered. "Want something to drink?"

"No thanks," she replied.

As she sat down, she noticed the notepad and pen in the other chair.

"And give me SOME credit," JT requested. "Of course these are not the clothes I'm wearing to the wedding. My suit is in my closet, and it's very dignified."

"That's good to know."

"A bright orange check suit. Polyester of course. I decided to go with the whole 1970s game show host motif. Sounds snazzy, don't you think?"

Paige looked disgusted, and it was several moments before she finally spoke.

"After all this time, I ought to know that you're only joking. But I also know you well enough that I shouldn't be 100 percent certain that you're only kidding."

"I'm only joking, Paige," he told her calmly. Then his smile turned into a smirk and his voice became sinister. "Or am I?"

"You're too strange for your own good," Paige commented, shaking her head. "We HAVE established that, right?"

"Welcome back, Paige," JT said they both have finished laughing. He then picked up the notepad and pen and sat down. "Sorry for the lack of a red carpet arrival, but I wasn't sure if I'd see you before the wedding."

"That's an acceptable excuse, I suppose," Paige teased. "Anyway, I made it back yesterday evening. Are you all set, or is there anything that still needs to be done that only my brilliance can accomplish?"

"I think everything's under control. Everyone at the theater knows what they're supposed to do while I'm gone this week. My tux is hanging up and ready to be worn. And I believe Liberty has confirmed the hotel reservation."

"What's with the pad and paper?" the blonde finally questioned. "Look, I know it's tempting to want to get the thank-you notes out of the way as quickly as possible, but you should wait to see how good the wedding gifts are first. Then you'll know how polite to make each note."

"Paige, have you ever considered writing your own etiquette book?"

"If someone gives you a used toaster, how grateful are you really going to be?" she challenged.

"Good point," JT conceded. "Actually, before you got here, I was trying to write my wedding vows."

"Hon, are you aware that the wedding is only a few hours away?"

"Every time I've tried, it's always the same result. A blank page."

Paige could tell that her friend wasn't exaggerating for comedic effect, but seemed genuinely uncertain.

"I've never known you to be at a loss for words," she remarked. "Even when you're being too bizarre for words, you always have some words."

"I come up with a lot of stuff," JT explained. "But when I start to put it all down on paper, it doesn't seem right. Makes sense – Emma's the writer, not me."

"Then forget about trying to write something down and hoping to come up with vows that are perfect in every word," Paige suggested. "Go with YOUR strength and just wing it."

"But…"

"As good as you were at coming up with all sorts of funny bits to do as our mascot," she interjected before he could disagree, "some of your best moments in the suit happened whenever a game would go into overtime and you would just come up with ideas on the spur of the moment for what to do during the extra break."

"I'm still amazed you let me get away with some of the stuff I came up with," the former mascot fondly recalled.

"Hey, I trusted your instincts," Paige said in her own defense. "And it usually paid off, too. Like that one time you actually pulled Raditch out onto the basketball court to have a panther vs. principal free throw contest."

JT laughed, thinking back to that moment, which took place over two years earlier.

"That was comedy gold since neither one of us could make a basket to save our lives," he recalled.

"The crowd ate it up," Paige added. "And I even saw Raditch laugh after it was over. For a moment he seemed almost human."

"Yeah, those were some fun times."

"Sweet potato, when you're up there in front of the church later on today, you'll know what to say and how to say it. Just follow your instincts."

JT looked over at Paige and it was clear to him that she understood what would work best for him and that she was confident he could successfully pull it off.

"You make a lot of sense," he commented.

"Naturally…I'm Paige Michalchuk," she said with a slight smirk. "Oh, and if you decide at the last minute you don't want to get married after all, don't worry about a thing. Just step into one of those imaginary boxes of yours, and I'll haul you out of the church before anyone can bug you with a lot of silly questions."

"Thanks," JT responded once he had finished laughing. "But the only thing I'm climbing into in the next few hours is that monkey suit that's hanging up in my bedroom. Not that it's a suit made out of monkeys, though. Emma would go ballistic, plus that would be far too creepy. And now I'm babbling."

"Just save enough words for the wedding."

"Promise," he said, feeling much more relaxed than he had before his friend's arrival.

"Good. Now, what else needs taking care of… Oh, did you get Emma to sign a pre-nup?"

"Now THERE'S a document that screams Romance and Trust," JT noted sarcastically.

"I know you don't have the money of a Paul McCartney, and Emma doesn't hobble around with a wooden leg or a constant look on her face that screams 'Give me the number to your bank account before I say I Do!' But it never hurts to be cautious. Because, personally, when I get married, it'll be to an amazingly wealthy elderly man with a heart condition."

Before JT could respond, he noticed the smirk on Paige's face.

"You're just trying to distract me to keep me from getting nervous again, aren't you?" he questioned.

"And it's working," she replied confidently.

"I'm glad you're back, Paige."

"As well you should be."

At the Van Zandt home, Liberty was in her upstairs bedroom looking out the window at her backyard when her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"How's the hottest best man I know?"

Liberty grinned upon hearing Spinner's greeting.

"I suppose that's a question you never guessed you would ever utter," she teased. "And I'm doing fine, thank you."

"You need any help getting stuff together over there?" he volunteered.

"No, everything's set up out back. Tables, chairs, decorations… Mr. Simpson and Emma's mom, along with Manny, have been taking care of everything pertaining to the reception. I'm just providing the location. Well, my parents and I, to be more accurate."

"Very cool of your folks."

"When JT and Emma couldn't decide on where would be a good place to hold the reception," Liberty started to recall, "it struck me. We have this big backyard – complete with gazebo – which seemed ideal. My parents liked the idea when I brought it up to them. So I suggested it to the happy couple and they were very enthusiastic. Also, in keeping with the tradition of the bride's family handling the responsibility and cost for the reception, Emma's mom assured us that they would take care of all the specifics. As you can imagine, that information made my parents even happier."

"It'll be great," Spinner agreed. "But now there's something REALLY important we need to talk about."

"Oh?" Liberty asked, unable to think of what he could be referring to.

"Yeah. Are you sure I shouldn't wear an usher hat today?"

Liberty smiled, remembering that they had first discussed this issue days earlier after he had initially tried on his suit.

"Yes, Gavin, I'm positive."

"It's just that I'm head usher," he attempted to make his case once more. "And you've seen pictures of those old-timey movie ushers with their fancy suits. They've always got hats on."

"Since you're not acting as a movie theater usher but as a wedding usher, trust me when I tell you that you won't need a hat to complete the ensemble."

"How about a top hat?" he asked hopefully.

"Since JT's not wearing one," she reminded, "your having one on would look rather awkward, don't you think?"

"Okay, if you say so. I figured that would be the answer, but I had to take a shot."

"And just so there's no misunderstanding," Liberty added, "you won't need to carry a flashlight with you like a theater usher either."

At this, Spinner laughed.

"Now you're just trying to spoil all the fun of this ushering thing, aren't you?"

"I'm doing my best," she kidded him.

"Liberty?"

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but…Yes, Gavin?"

"Don't say anything to Emma, since she's the bride and everything, but you're gonna be the prettiest woman in that church today."

A few hours later at the Nelson/Simpson home, Emma responded to a knock on the front door and found Sean standing there.

"Hey Em."

"Hi Sean. You just missed Manny. She and Ashley were stopping by the church. Something about wanting to look over the flower arrangements again. And then they were going to get lunch and bring it back here."

She noticed the skeptical look on the mechanic's face.

"It's okay," she assured. "They've done very well around one another through all of this. Remember at the rehearsal dinner last night, they even shared a couple of laughs. I suppose that with the whole Craig drama left to the distant past for both of them, it's easier for them to deal with one another. So, do you want to come in?"

"No, I'm on my way to meet JT and Liberty for lunch. He asked me to stop by on the way and see how you're doing. Seems Manny told him he couldn't see or talk to you before the wedding."

"Yeah," Emma responded, rolling her eyes. "The old superstition. I don't normally take that sort of thing seriously. I still don't. But hey, it couldn't hurt, right? My mom and Archie saw each other before their wedding, and the wedding almost didn't happen. Okay, so that had more to do with the news of Mom's unexpected pregnancy and her not wanting to tell him right away. But why tempt fate, even if it's just a silly superstition?"

"Things are already different from that wedding day," Sean remarked. "You've got normal-looking hair. So far."

"And that's the way it's going to stay," she promised. "No 'finger stuck in the light socket' look, as JT likes to describe my ultimate bad hair day. I have a restraining order keeping my mom from getting too close to my hair today."

"Wise decision," he said.

"Besides, the butterflies in my stomach already have butterflies of their own without anything disastrous happening."

"Any message for JT?"

"Tell JT that everything is fine," she replied while also thinking of more to add to the message. "But tell him that it will be even better once I see him in the church as I walk down the aisle toward him. Oh, and make sure to tell him that I love him very much and…"

"Uh…how about I just tell him everything's good?"

Emma laughed, seeing the uncomfortable look on her former boyfriend's face at the prospect of delivering the sort of message she had described.

"Yeah, that'll work. Thanks Sean."

"Oh and you should stop worrying," he suggested. "Somehow I think JT would be happy today even if you went with the finger in the socket look again. See you at the church."

Closing the door, Emma sighed.

'Right,' she thought. 'Stop worrying. Piece of cake.'

The day progressed and by late afternoon, guests were starting to make their way to the church. Several blocks away from the building, one couple was waiting at a red light. The dark-haired young man in the driver's seat wasn't quite sure what to think as he looked to his right and saw the young woman with long brown hair in his passenger seat mouthing the words to a song off a CD she had inserted several moments earlier.

_Ah yeah! Dum Diddy Dum,  
Get your ass out the way 'cause here we come,  
And we's bringin' this spectacle into ya town.  
We got creep shows, freak shows (Wicked Clowns).  
Most people don't like these oddities.  
Most people would love to have a shot at these.  
If you think you too good for us sideshow freaks, let me know  
And I'm 'a whip smack your cheeks! Come on..._

_Everyone come see the greatest show.  
Unlike anything that you know.  
Come and be down with the clowns.  
The big oddity freak show's in town_.

"You…uh…really do have eclectic – okay, downright bizarre – taste in music, Janine," the driver interrupted. The young woman noticed the flustered look on his face, causing her to smirk.

"I understand," she spoke up. "Like you, I prefer the cover version done by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. But I didn't think to bring their concert CD with us."

_I'm a sideshow looney, watch me get nuts.  
I do backflips out in fronta Mack trucks._

"See, you're supposed to be laughing right now," she said as the song continued. "Or at least looking a little less not-relaxed."

"Sorry."

"Toby Isaacs," she said staring at the young man behind the wheel, "you, sweet boyfriend o' mine, are hereby ordered NOT to be nervous or stressed for the rest of the day."

"I'm not…much."

Janine remained unconvinced.

"Not much is too much," she told him.

"It's just been a long time," Toby explained. "Too long, and that's my own fault."

"You told me that your conversation with him a couple weeks ago went okay."

"True, but a phone conversation and a face-to-face encounter can be two different things."

"Unless you have one of those camera phones," she countered, "then it's really not so different after all."

This made Toby laugh.

"About time you laughed today. You were starting to make me think I was losing my touch."

"Not likely," he assured her.

The stoplight turned green, and as Toby resumed driving the song was still going on.

_What's the matter son?  
Just because we're a little different, you gotta run?  
I'm an oddity.  
You're lookin' odd at me.  
But then I gotta be.  
And there's a lotta me.  
We's a little bit twisted, I gladly admit it.  
I can unscrew my head off, and shoot hoop with it._

"From the way you've described him," Janine spoke up, "JT Yorke is funny, stubborn, willing to throw himself into crazy situations, and is a genuinely good person. Sounds cool to me. And even though your friendship kinda got lost for awhile, I'm sure everything is going to be great today."

"You're probably right."

"Besides," she added, "I'm also looking forward to meeting the bride, considering she was your first crush. I'm sure she has a few embarrassing but hysterical stories about what you were like back then that you've neglected to tell me."

"No way," Toby quickly objected.

"Sorry. As your girlfriend it's my duty to research these things so I can better torture you later."

_Everyone come see the greatest show.  
Unlike anything that you know.  
Come and be down with the clowns.  
The big oddity freak show's in town._

As the couple pulled into the church parking lot, Janine was relieved to see that Toby looked much more at ease. Once they were out of the car and walking toward the front of the building, they saw Craig standing with a camera in his hands. He had just finished taking a picture.

"Was it difficult getting the building to say 'Cheese?'" Janine cracked.

Craig turned around, curious since he didn't recognize the voice.

"Toby…hey," he greeted the one he knew.

"Hi Craig. Good to see you again."

"Where've you been?" the dark-haired photographer asked. "It's gotta be…what…three weeks, maybe a month since the last time I saw you."

"More like over a year and a half since my dad and I moved to Windsor," Toby corrected.

"Who's your friend?" Craig asked, his goal being to learn about this young lady he had never before seen rather than picking up on the fact that he hadn't noticed Toby's long absence.

"Janine," the young woman answered.

She was fully aware that the photographer was attempting to subtly check her out since his eyes had remained on her even while he had been speaking to Toby.

"And now that you've had time to count and see that yes, I have two breasts, you can look back up at my eyes while extending your hand like a gentleman."

Her blunt sarcasm briefly flustered Craig, knowing he had been caught gazing a little too long.

"Um…yeah," he searched for the right words while finally shaking her hand. "I mean, Hi. I'm Craig Manning. Me and Toby go way back."

"At least three weeks to a month," she said sarcastically. "Yes, I heard."

"So you're the official wedding photographer?" Toby asked in an attempt to move the conversation forward.

"Right," Craig replied. "I'm just out here getting a couple of exterior shots before the main event."

"We'd better go on inside now."

"Good seeing you again Toby. Talk to you later. Oh, and very nice meeting you, Janine.

Toby's girlfriend simply rolled her eyes and laughed as the pair walked past Craig and into the church.

In the foyer, among the recently arrived guests who were mingling with one another, Joey and Caitlin were standing with Snake and Jack.

"So," Caitlin smiled down toward Jack, "are you ready to watch your sister get married?"

"Where's the cake?" Jack asked in response.

"I like the way this kid thinks," Joey cracked.

"We'll have the cake later, son," Snake explained before looking back up at Joey. "Where's Angie?"

"Restroom," Joey answered.

"I went to say Hello to Emma when we first arrived," Caitlin commented. "Snake, she looks amazing."

"I have no doubt," the proud stepfather said.

"Any chance that JT's father is going to show up here today?" Joey questioned.

"I'd like to be able to say with absolute certainty that he won't, since I'm sure JT hasn't spoken to him. But I also know that Nathaniel Yorke has ways of finding out things regardless, and he's certainly low enough to make an uninvited appearance."

"The nicest way to describe that man – at least while we're in a church – is 'charm-free.'" Joey remarked.

"The kids absolutely shouldn't have to deal with him today," Snake told them. "But if he does show up, I'll handle it."

Walking down a hallway and into the foyer, Spinner noticed the newly arrived Toby and Janine and was less than pleased.

"Isaacs?"

For Toby, there was no mistaking that voice.

"Hi Spinner," he greeted as the pair turned to face his former girlfriend's brother.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Spinner said in an accusatory tone.

"I can understand that," Toby responded.

"I mean… Dude, I get it that you and JT aren't close friends anymore. But you only live a few miles from the hospital. So it's like you went out of your way not to bother going to see JT after he almost died."

"Um…Spin, I haven't been living in Toronto for over a year."

Spinner's angry expression changed to one of confusion.

"Really? That long?"

"Really. I've already apologized to JT for not coming back after he got hurt. But yes, until yesterday I was gone for that long."

"Oh…" Spinner said, his voice no longer angry. "Okay. Well, my bad. Guess I didn't notice you were gone."

"Seems to be the popular trend," Janine commented sarcastically.

"Spinner, this is my girlfriend Janine Thompkins."

"Hi," Spinner greeted Janine before turning his attention back to Toby. "Congrats, Isaacs. Good to know that I don't have to worry about you bugging Kendra to get back together when she and her boyfriend get here. You two enjoy the wedding."

After Spinner left the couple, Janine wrapped an arm around Toby's waist.

"And you say JT employs that guy? He gets paid to interact with the public at large?"

"That's what Ash told me."

"I guess JT truly is a risk taker," she joked, causing Toby to smile.

At that moment, Paige walked into the building. Spotting her, and knowing that she's remained close to Ashley, Toby decided to take a chance and get her attention.

"Paige," he called to her.

Curious, the blonde walked over to the couple.

"Long time no see," he began once she had reached them. "I want you to meet Janine Thompkins. Janine, this is Paige Michalchuk. She graduated from Degrassi a year ago."

"Hello Janine," Paige said.

"Hi," Janine returned the greeting.

"It's nice to see you again, Paige," Toby commented. "You and I have both been away for so long."

"I'm sorry," Paige interjected, looking at Toby with mild confusion. "Do I know you?" She then spotted someone across the room that she wanted to speak to. "Oh, excuse me. Nice seeing you again, um…Jeannie, wasn't it?"

Paige departed without waiting for correction, and Janine couldn't help but laugh.

"Her, I like. So tell me, Toby, you didn't by any chance just imagine that you went to school with all these people, did you?"

Paige brushed past Spinner, not noticing him, as she continued walking. Though he couldn't say he wasn't a little disappointed that she didn't seem to even see him, he knew they would no doubt speak to each other at some point before the day was over. But the one he was truly looking forward to seeing on this day was Liberty.

"Hey Paige," Ellie said as the blonde walked closer toward her.

"I almost didn't recognize you," Paige remarked.

"What do you mean?" the redhead questioned.

"If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. I'm still not sure I believe it."

In the men's restroom, meanwhile, JT faced the mirror above one of the sinks. Though he was wearing his tux, he was struggling to put his bow tie on. After several minutes without success, he gave up and proceeded to walk out.

'I guess there's always Scotch tape,' he thought as he went out into the hallway. 'Or crazy glue. That ought to keep it in place for a couple of hours.'

"Hey," a voice interrupted JT's thoughts.

The groom turned his head to see Sean – also clad in a tux, sans tie – walking toward him.

"Any comments about my being turned into a penguin and I'm going home to change into my work clothes and that's what I'll wear to this wedding," the groomsman warned.

"Sean, I would NEVER joke about you being turned into a penguin," JT assured.

"Thank you."

"It's more like you've been eaten by a penguin."

"That's cold, man," Sean said as he rolled his eyes.

"Naturally," JT stated, maintaining a straight face. "Penguins can't live where it's hot."

At this, Sean rolled his eyes, determined not to laugh.

"I see YOU haven't had any better luck with your tie, either," he then said, noticing the item in JT's hand.

"I'm never good with regular ties, much less these things," JT explained. "Maybe if I'd started working on it right after Emma accepted my proposal, I'd have figured it out by now. Okay, that's a big maybe."

"I can count on one hand the number of times I've ever worn any kind of suit," Sean recalled. "And still have a couple of fingers left over."

Looking down at their ties, the two then looked up at each other, both suddenly reaching the same conclusion.

"Liberty," they both spoke up simultaneously.

"I bet it'll only take her a minute to figure these things out," Sean reasoned.

"Don't underestimate her," JT advised. "I'm thinking 30 seconds tops."

"Could be. Not much surprises me anymore. I mean…JT Yorke as a married man? That's still going to take some getting used to. Even though you and Emma always sound like an old married couple."

JT laughed.

"Thanks," Sean then said more seriously than his previous comment. "You know, for asking me to be a part of it."

"You shouldn't thank me for making an obvious choice for a groomsman," JT stopped him.

"Well, when the choice is someone you couldn't stand a year ago, it seems like a 'thank you' belongs somewhere in all of this."

"Fine, then I thank YOU."

"Huh?" Sean responded, not expecting what JT had said.

"For showing me last winter that the guy I couldn't stand a year ago was gone, and that the real Sean Cameron was a stand-up guy who can admit his mistakes and has a lot of good qualities that deserve to be recognized. A guy I count as one of my closest friends."

Sean was deeply moved. Not one to consider himself as quick or as successful as his friend in verbally expressing his more serious thoughts, he was certain that anything he could say in response to JT's comments would sounds ridiculous or, at the very least, insufficient.

Ultimately, though, he was spared, as JT soon offered one more remark.

"Now…before Liberty decides to send out a search party for us, let's go find her and test her tie-tying skills. Oh, and then the three of us can vote on what your name would be if you really were a penguin. After all, do you know any penguins named Sean?"

Finally laughing, Sean followed his enthusiastic friend down the hallway.

Soon, as most of the guests were starting to make their way inside the auditorium, Paige and Ellie had since been seated in one of the pews.

"It's not that big a deal, Paige."

"Be honest, Ellie…are you developing a rash yet?"

"Humor has never been your strong suit," Ellie answered.

"I'm just saying, I can't remember a time when you weren't wearing primarily – often entirely – black clothing. Each and every day, you wearing black is like the sun coming up in the morning. Just one of life's certainties. At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but now I'm worried that your body's going to reject this new fashion choice."

"Let me know when you're through and then maybe I'll tune you back in," the redhead cracked.

"Okay, okay," Paige surrendered. "I'm done. For the moment."

"Of course I wasn't going to wear black to the wedding," Ellie explained. "While I've never been overly concerned what others think about what I choose to wear, I also realize certain people might think that if I wore black to this event, I might be trying making a statement. Like that maybe I saw this as more of a funeral than a wedding. The focus of this day needs to stay on JT. And her too. I don't want to be the cause of any attention being drawn away from them. Thus, the non-black choice. Got it?"

"I got it," Paige replied while once more surveying Ellie's outfit. "But with all the other possibilities…gray? Still not exactly a festive color."

"It can't surprise you that I don't keep a lot of pink, yellow, or bright red outfits stocked in my closet. Anyway, today…gray seems almost fitting."

In a Sunday school classroom not far from the auditorium, Liberty was nearly finished tying JT's tie.

"Not too tight, is it?" she asked after she was done.

"Whenever I have to wear something like this, there's always this feeling like I'm going to run out of oxygen at any moment," he remarked, smiling. "But no, this is fine. Thanks. Where's Sean?"

"While you were on the phone making one last confirmation of your hotel reservation, I fixed his tie for him and then sent him to do a final walkaround to make certain once and for all that everything was either ready and in place or in the process of being so."

"I'm sure everything is great."

"True, but, like you with the hotel confirmation, it never hurts to double check."

JT then looked down at his watch, and Liberty could tell that he was growing anxious.

"It won't be long now," he commented.

"Nervous?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? Me? JT Yorke? The most relaxed person you've ever met? Armed with two .40 caliber jokes at all times and ready for anything? You do remember who you're talking to, right?"

"Right."

"Okay then," he said in a satisfied tone.

"So… nervous?"

"Maybe a little," JT quietly admitted, knowing he could never really fool Liberty but still trying to sound casual.

"That's perfectly natural," Liberty offered calmly. "You're beginning a brand new chapter of your life today. In an already eventful year, this is the most monumental event yet. But I know you'll do well, because this is something you want so much. And when it comes to something you truly want, you have this knack for making things work out the way you want them to."

"Flatterer," JT responded sarcastically, though truthfully he was grateful for her words.

"It's your wedding day and I'm Best Person," she explained. "There'll be other opportunities to list your faults, but not today."

JT laughed, and Liberty could tell that he was starting to loosen up.

"Seeing as you are Best Person, any words of wisdom before showtime?"

"Not really," she answered. "I'm saving my ten-page speech for the reception."

"Thanks for the warning," he cracked in response to what he knew was a joke on her part.

"Seriously, though, just continue doing what you're doing. It's obviously worked well for the two of you the majority of the time."

JT smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Now it's your turn," she then remarked. "With only minutes remaining until your days as a single man are over, do you have any famous last words you wish to impart?"

JT knew that Liberty was handing him the set-up for a comical line, but he had another thought he wanted to share instead.

"Those pre-wedding nerves? Gone."

Just then, Sean came into the room.

"Looks like it's about that time," he announced.

"Good," JT said without hesitation. "I guess we should go ahead and tell the minister that our half is all set."

Liberty recognized the twinkle in his eyes and knew that JT was ready.

At the same time, Spinner had finished seating another guest. Returning to the foyer, he watched as one more person entered the building. Only this was someone Spinner was not expecting.

"I'm pretty sure you didn't get an invite in the mail," the head usher said while walking up to the man.

"And I'm pretty sure I don't need one."

Meanwhile, in the bridal room near the auditorium, Emma stood still as Manny studied her face while Spike looked on.

"Make-up looks just right," Manny stated.

"And my hair?"

"Great. But there's still time to put it up if you want."

"No, I'd rather keep it down. But the dress…it's not too big on me is it?"

Manny shook her head.

"Too small?"

"It's juuuust right, Goldilocks."

"Manny…"

"Don't stress, Emma," Manny encouraged, hoping to prevent a nerve-induced scolding from the bride. "You look fine."

"And the dress looks great on you, Em," her mother assured.

"Thanks."

"Still, I'm a little upset that you chose not to carry on the family tradition of getting married wearing a T-shirt and jeans."

Emma laughed listening to her mother pretend to sound like she was nearly in tears.

"It was awfully tempting to follow in your footsteps," the bride then played along, "but ultimately I decided to be a rebel and go with the white dress instead."

"Seriously, Emma, you look so beautiful. And you look great too, Manny."

Manny, clad in an apple-green colored dress, smiled.

"Thanks. With Emma, I had a feeling me and Ashley would be wearing green today. I was just afraid we were going to end up looking like two trees in the forest." Manny then turned to Emma. "But you came through and picked something very nice."

At that moment, Ashley entered the room.

"Most of the guests are seated," she reported. "We should be good-to-go in just a few minutes."

Hearing this, the bride sighed.

"I am nowhere near ready," she declared, her voice growing more anxious.

"That's just pre-wedding jitters," Ashley explained. "The hour before my dad married my stepdad, he was searching everywhere for the ring until finally he realized that he had it with him in his coat pocket the entire time. Compared to that, you seem incredibly calm."

That made Emma smile.

"Now, do you remember what you're going to say when it comes time for your vows?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah. Nothing to it."

Emma paused momentarily before continuing.

"It didn't take long to decide on what I would say," she resumed. "The only difficulty was limiting myself so that it doesn't turn into a lengthy monologue. Anyway…thank you guys again for all your help. Especially today, but also during this entire time."

"No thanks necessary," Ashley responded.

"Absolutely," Manny concurred.

"If you're ready, I'll go on out there and give the go-ahead to the minister," Ashley offered, looking over at Emma.

The young bride, who was just staring at the door, didn't respond.

"Emma?" Spike prompted.

"Yeah…" Emma finally spoke up. "Um…Manny, Ashley…could you give me and my mom a few moments alone first?"

"Of course," Manny said cheerily while Ashley simply nodded.

As Ashley walked out of the room, Manny was about to hug Emma first before also leaving, but she stopped just short of embracing the blonde. She realized a hug might endanger the hair and make-up work that had already been done, not to mention renewing Emma's concerns about if the dress was okay.

"I better not," Manny said. "But double hug after the ceremony."

"We'll be out soon," Emma told her.

"Okay, but don't take too long, Ms. Soon-To-Be Mrs. Yorke. Don't want to keep your handsome groom waiting."

Emma shut the door right after Manny walked out of the room.

"This isn't right," Emma said softly while still facing the door, her right hand gripping the doorknob as though it were a lifeline.

"What's not right?" Spike asked, having just barely understood what her daughter had said.

"It's seemed so right. So perfect. But…no."

Emma slowly turned around and saw the look of concern and curiosity on her mother's face.

"I can't do this."

"This?" Spike asked, unsure of exactly what Emma was referring to.

"I can't marry JT."

**Notes:** No, this story hasn't been abandoned. To any and all who have been reading and (hopefully) enjoying this story, I apologize for the extremely long time between chapters. I hope everyone liked this newest chapter. And don't worry – it won't be such a long wait until the next one.

The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. Also, the excerpted lyrics in this chapter come from the song "Oddities" by Insane Clown Posse.


	73. Love Of My Life

**The Long And Winding Road**

**Chapter 73 -- Love Of My Life**

"Shouldn't we be hearing some music right about now?"

JT asked this as he, Liberty and Sean stood in the hallway right outside the door leading directly into the front of the church auditorium.

Liberty moved in front of the groom and took a look inside through the glass portion of the door.

"Emma's mom hasn't been seated yet," she reported, having noticed that the mother of the bride wasn't in the auditorium.

"Ah," JT said, remaining calm.

"Don't worry," Sean interjected, "it's not like we all got together beforehand and synchronized our watches. Emma and them may be a minute or two behind us."

"It's no biggie if we're a couple minutes off," JT commented. "It's just a little weird. After all, before the minister went on in, he did say that Ashley told him they were ready to go."

"Emma's probably just taking one final look in the mirror," Liberty suggested.

"It's fine," JT again told his two friends. "If there was an actual problem, I'm sure Manny would have come and let us know. Besides, if we have any guests showing up a little late, now they won't have missed out on any of the ceremony."

Back in the foyer, meanwhile, Spinner was determined not to let one late arrival get by him.

"What are you doing here?" the head usher demanded.

"Even to a moron like you I'd think the answer would be obvious. I'm here for the wedding."

"You had Liberty as your girlfriend and screwed it all up, but I'm the moron?" Spinner challenged.

This uninvited arrival, Patrick Ryan, had been waiting in his car out in the parking lot until it was apparent to him that no other cars were coming. He had hoped to slip into the back of the auditorium as the wedding began to avoid a scene, but he hadn't anticipated having to deal with Spinner Mason blocking his entry.

"Never mind all that," Patrick said. "Just get out of my way so I can go sit down."

"You aren't on any guest list I ever heard about," Spinner told him, refusing to step aside. "How did you even know about the wedding?"

"It's called listening and comprehending the English language," Patrick fired back. "You should try it sometime. But if you need specifics, Manny Santos and Ashley Kerwin came into Ryan's earlier today to pick up some lunch to go and I overheard them talking while they were at the counter waiting. Going over what they still needed to do this afternoon, including making sure Emma's wedding dress got to the church without any problems. I knew this would be the logical place for the wedding. It's where the funeral for JT's mother was held last year."

"Real smart, Sherlock," Spinner responded, unimpressed. "So why aren't you smart enough to know that nobody wants you here? You're persona au gratin."

"And you have the vocabulary skills of a 10-year-old," Patrick countered, referring to Spinner's malapropism. "But to answer your question, maybe I just like weddings. Or maybe I thought it would be entertaining to see how long into the proceedings it would be before Liberty has a meltdown and tries to stop the ceremony."

It took more willpower than Spinner even knew he was capable of to not tear Patrick apart over that last comment. Still, he couldn't hide the anger on his face.

"Well Liberty is IN the wedding," he informed Patrick, "so you're wrong again."

At this, Liberty's ex-boyfriend laughed.

"Knowing that she'd probably give anything if she could be the bride, she still agreed to take part in the wedding? Wow… Liberty really does throw all pride out the window when it comes to the person she can never have."

Spinner, on the verge of losing what little patience he had left, moved closer to Patrick.

"Don't say anything else. You see, I really don't want to mess up my suit throwing you out on your…" Spinner didn't complete the sentence as intended, remembering that he was in a church. "Well, you get the idea. Just go. Because nothing and nobody is gonna mess up this wedding."

At the same time, in the bridal room, Spike wasn't certain she had heard her daughter correctly.

"Em, honey, did you just say that you can't marry JT?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Emma finally nodded her head in confirmation.

"I know this is last minute," the young bride said apologetically.

"That doesn't matter," Spike assured. "If you're having doubts or a change of heart, it's good for both you and JT that you're realizing it before the ceremony. But can you tell me what prompted this change? All day you've seemed so ready."

"I have been," Emma confirmed. "Mostly. But more and more I started thinking and… I'm scared, Mom."

Spike recognized the look on her daughter's face as well as the tone in her voice. This was the same fear Emma had almost a year earlier about whether to confess to JT that she had feelings for him that went well beyond their friendship. The concern that maybe it would be better to play it safe rather than disrupt the status quo. She knew that Emma truly wanted to marry JT, but she also knew that her daughter sometimes had a way of scaring herself with extreme hypotheticals.

"Of course you're scared," Spike calmly acknowledged. "Any bride that says she isn't at least a little scared probably has a fairytale-inspired belief that marriage is all one big happily ever after. But I know you, and you have the right idea. That it takes work to have a successful relationship, especially a marriage."

"What if it turns out I'm no good at this?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"This?"

"Marriage," she clarified. "It's not like I've ever been a wife before. This is all new territory for me."

"It's comforting to know that there's not a secret marriage in your past," Spike said, hoping to inject a bit of calming levity into the conversation.

"Can a person who tends to be very opinionated and outspoken and more than a little territorial actually be in a marriage and not drive the other person crazy?" Emma questioned. "I don't want to go through with something that would only end up being wrong for JT. I don't want to hurt him. And I don't want to ruin the bond he and I have."

Spike then took her daughter's hands in hers.

"Emma, there are going to be times when you and JT will crowd each other. Times where you will absolutely get on each other's nerves. Times when you'll look at one another and both say to yourselves, 'What was I thinking?' You're going to annoy him, and he's going to annoy you."

"Mom, that's not exactly reassuring. All of that sounds horrible."

"And speaking from experience," Spike continued undeterred, "all of those moments combined will only account for a tiny fraction of the time that you're together."

Looking at Emma, Spike could tell that the young bride was trying to process this.

"Because that's the way it is in even the happiest marriages," the elder woman explained. "And sure, some of this is going to be new territory, as you put it. But the love and commitment aren't new to either of you. Marriage certainly takes these things to a new and much greater level, but the basics are already a part of you. You two know each other so well and just seem to keep growing closer. And happier. I honestly believe JT will be a great husband, just as I believe that you will be a great wife."

As Emma took this in, her mother could sense that she finally starting to relax again.

"But ultimately, Em," she added, "my opinion isn't the one that matters in all of this. If you've decided you can't marry JT because you've come to the conclusion that he's not the right person for you or because you don't want to be married to him or to anyone at this time, then that's that. I will stand by you and help out in any way I can. Or if you've decided you can't marry JT because you believe that somehow he's better off in the long run, I'll still support you."

"Thanks."

"My only advice is to be absolutely certain in both your head and your heart about whatever choice you're going to make. You didn't answer JT's proposal until after you had given it serious thought. So look beyond the last-minute nerves and do whatever it is you know at your very core is what will be right for both of you."

As Emma considered her mother's words, Patrick was now outside of the church walking toward his car while in the midst of a conversation on his cell phone.

"No, I decided it was better to just leave. Spinner wasn't going to let me stay without a fight, and… Well, you've read 'Of Mice and Men.' The stupidest people can also be the strongest. I'm not about to fight him. Besides, I wasn't there to be a distraction. I told the idiot I was there to see Liberty fall apart, but that was just to annoy him. I was good friends with JT and Emma. Especially JT. He was the first friend I made after me and my family moved here. And last year I wanted to see him and Emma get together as much as Liberty claimed she did. So today when I heard about the wedding…I really wanted to see them get married. Maybe wish them my congratulations if I built up enough nerve to stick around afterward."

As he listened to the response from the other end of the call, Patrick rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I know you wouldn't think that's a good idea. But you ARE kind of biased against them, Mel, considering the way you and JT broke up after the funeral and all. But in spite of everything…the way he basically replaced me with the missing link and sided with Liberty against me…we had a lot of good times before all of that. I just wanted to maybe let the friendship end on a more positive note before leaving for university next week."

He then smiled as JT's former girlfriend quickly interrupted to correct him on one point.

"You're right, Melanie. Before WE leave for university. Weird the way things work out. You and I had barely even talked for months before bumping into each other at that video store a couple weeks ago. You welcomed me as another person who'd been kicked out of the inner circle, which seemed like a snotty way to look at no longer being friends with that group, but it still made me laugh. And I'm going to university in Ottawa because that's where I'm from, but to find out that's where you had decided to go… It's nice knowing I'll already have one friend on campus once I get there. No, I didn't say girlfriend. I like hanging out with you, but after the way I got burned by Liberty, I'm not ready to get on the relationship roller coaster again anytime soon."

Reaching his car, he couldn't help but laugh after hearing Melanie's follow-up remark.

"Friends with benefits?" Patrick repeated. "Interesting the way your mind works. Not that I'm complaining, of course. Let's just get out of Toronto next week and then see what happens."

After unlocking the vehicle, Patrick looked back at the church building. Disappointment on his face, he wished he could be inside watching the ceremony. He also had no doubt that Liberty looked incredible. He once more regretted that – as he saw it – Liberty didn't give him or them more of a chance. That she never even apologized for hitting him.

Taking a deep breath, he turned back around and opened the car door.

"You know," he resumed talking to Melanie, hoping he sounded sufficiently upbeat, "I'll miss my family, but it's good that I'm leaving. There's something to be said for new beginnings."

Back inside the church, Ashley and Manny were standing outside of the bridal room. Both were curious regarding the delay.

"She sounded a little off when we were leaving the room," Manny remarked.

"I'm sure it's just nerves," Ashley reasoned.

"You don't think she was starting to get sick, do you?" the maid of honor then suggested.

"I doubt it."

"Food poisoning?"

"No," Ashley disagreed with certainty in her voice. "She and I both ordered salads for lunch and I'm fine."

"True. And I haven't heard sounds of throwing up, which is really good since if she did and some of it landed on her dress…"

"Don't even think it, Manny."

Before either said anything else, the door to the room was opened, and neither member of the bridal party was sure what to expect.

Meanwhile, Liberty was again looking through the glass into the auditorium.

"Perhaps I should go back and see if there's anything wrong," she volunteered while turning back around to face JT.

"Not necessary," JT said calmly. "Relax. It's only been a few extra minutes. Anyway, I've thought about it. I have a feeling I know what's going on, and there's no problem. This ceremony should be starting very soon."

"So what are you thinking?" Sean asked.

"Emma probably had a case of last-minute nerves to get through," the groom explained. "Which makes sense. Even I was tense for a few minutes when we were back in that classroom. And Emma would always get real nervous before making any big classroom presentation, so the fact that she's about to get married would really be nerve-racking for her. But the panic never lasts long, and I know it won't this time either."

"That does seem very Emma-ish," Sean reasoned.

"Sounds logical," Liberty agreed.

"I got over my nervousness, and she will too," JT confidently predicted. "Anyway, it's either that, or her mother decided to make a last-minute complaint about how we shouldn't be getting married. And I can see Emma rolling her eyes and just letting her mother get it out of her system instead of getting into some big debate right before the wedding."

"Somehow I doubt it's your latter theory," his Best Person determined.

Deciding to take a quick glance through the glass, JT saw that Spinner was now escorting Spike down toward the front of the auditorium. As she took her seat beside her husband, the head usher returned to the back of the room.

"And I guess Emma's jitters must be all jittered out now," the groom announced.

Before anything else could be said, they heard the recording of Pachelbel's "Canon in D" begin to play. This was their cue to go in.

"So you guys really did decide to go all formal with the music," Sean remarked upon hearing the song.

"Don't blame me…I wanted 'The Love Theme from The Three Stooges Meet Hercules' but got outvoted," JT claimed.

Sean laughed at the comment but also wasn't fooled by his friend's lightheartedness. He knew how important all of this was to both JT and Emma – right down to the more traditional musical selections.

"Ready?" Liberty asked JT.

JT simply nodded, and then he opened the door.

Seeing that the minister, David Andrews, was now in place, standing before the assembled guests, the groom entered the auditorium with Liberty and Sean following closely behind him. Once they were in position, they watched as Ashley made her way from the foyer down to the front. Manny was next. Even though she still didn't know what had caused the delay, she was just happy that the ceremony was moving forward.

After everyone was in place, the music transitioned into a piano recording of Wagner's "Bridal March." Everyone in the pews stood up as Emma reached the doorway from the foyer into the auditorium and stopped. Taking a deep breath, she looked straight ahead.

Once Emma saw JT down front looking back at her, she smiled and began her walk down the aisle. Her mother's words had helped calm her nerves enough to reaffirm her belief that this marriage was the right choice for both her and JT. And seeing the pleased look on his face as she started walking toward him was the final confirmation that this decision was one she knew she would never regret.

As the bride made her gradual trek forward, her mother watched with pride. She was pleased that Emma didn't back away from what she wanted. And while Spike hadn't completely given up the notion that waiting a couple of years to wed wouldn't have hurt, she couldn't deny that theirs was a strong commitment and that they knew how to take care of one another.

Next to Spike, Jack was holding her hand and standing up on the pew trying to see what was happening. He didn't fully understand what they were all doing there. Still, his parents had been telling him that Emma and JT were becoming a family of their own and would start living in their own home, but that the two would still be very much part of his family. JT had also promised him there would be the biggest cake he'd ever seen. And everyone looked really happy. So the boy knew this was a good day.

With one hand resting on Jack's shoulder, Snake stood with a smile on his face. When he initially heard from Spike that Emma was planning to walk to the front alone, he was disappointed but understood and respected her decision. But during the brief delay, he thought that perhaps she was reconsidering and that maybe he would get the privilege of walking his stepdaughter down the aisle after all. Now realizing this had not been the case, he briefly felt that sense of a lost opportunity once again. But he knew his overall happiness for the couple far outweighed this disappointment.

Among the guests on the opposite side of the aisle were Toby and his girlfriend Janine. She had observed how happy Toby was when JT first walked into the room and again when Emma came in. She knew this couple must care enough about Toby to invite him to their wedding. But the people Toby had introduced her to so far either weren't sure who he was or hadn't noticed that he had been away for so long. So while Janine knew Toby wanted this to be a happy reunion with the two he'd always described to her as his closest friends in Toronto, she hoped that her boyfriend wasn't setting his hopes too high.

As Emma passed by, Paige's attention went back and forth between the bride and groom. Once Emma had backed off on her anti-Spirit Squad crusade of long ago, she had become barely been a blip on the Michalchuk radar. Any interaction was due only to their mutual association with others, chiefly JT, Manny and Ashley.

Still, Paige really wanted this marriage to work out for JT's sake. She also appreciated the couple's ability to trust one another enough to make such a commitment. It seemed so natural and yet so foreign to her. Years earlier, her "sweet potato" had been the first person after the rape that she could look to as proof that there were good and honorable men in the world. But even now, jokes about marrying rich old men aside, Paige wasn't sure whether she would ever reach a point in her life when she would be able to trust someone so completely that she could feel fully at ease and happy in a serious relationship.

Standing beside Paige, Ellie remained perfectly still. It felt surreal attending a wedding where her relationship to the bride has consisted primarily of mutual animosity and the occasional trading of verbal daggers. The fact that she had confessed to the groom about the feelings she'd had for him also factored into the awkwardness she now felt. But seeing the look of genuine happiness on JT's face kept the redhead from seeking out the nearest exit. Despite any uncomfortability, Ellie wanted to show her support, honoring her friend's wishes that she be in attendance for his big day.

Soon Emma had reached the front and the music faded out. After handing over her bouquet to Manny, she joined her right hand with JT's left as both faced forward to look at the minister.

"You may be seated," the clergyman addressed the guests.

As they took their seats, Spike could already sense that she would need a tissue before too long.

"Dearly beloved," Andrews began, "we are gathered here today to witness as JT Yorke and Emma Nelson unite in holy matrimony. JT's mother Jillian was a longtime and greatly admired member of this congregation, and so I was honored when this young couple asked to be wed here.

"Their union is built on a foundation of deep and enduring love, trust and respect, with roots going back to early childhood and a friendship that has grown and strengthened through the years. As their family and friends, each of you in one way or another has been an important part of their lives thus far, and so it is with great affection and gratitude that they wanted your presence here as they pledged their everlasting commitment to one another."

The minister then turned his eyes from the congregation and toward the smiling couple directly in front of him.

"JT, Emma, this is a joyous occasion. You each come into this marriage with your own unique strengths and gifts and attitudes. And your friendship and the relationship that eventually grew from it have already helped you learn so much about how to unite in such a way that you can bring out the best in each other, as well as how to be understanding and persevere during the difficult times. Going forward, remember to be strong and firm in your commitment, yet tender and flexible in your treatment of one another. You will be united as one, but always be mindful of the feelings and uniqueness of your partner.

"The most important ingredient for a successful union, though, is love. More than merely an emotion, it's the key. I believe scripture describes it best: '_Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails_.'"

As the minister completed his reading of the scripture, Emma looked over at her soon-to-be husband and mouthed the words "I love you."

"The bride and groom have chosen to say their own vows to one another," Andrews continued. "So if you both would turn and face one another…"

Both promptly did as instructed.

"JT, you may begin."

"Okay," JT said, taking a deep breath. "But first… a few impressions."

The comment elicited laughs from the congregation and a big grin from Emma.

"But seriously… Emma, at first I wasn't sure about the whole idea of coming up with our own vows. But you were right. It makes sense, because the traditional vows – promising to stay together in good and bad times, rich and poor times, sick and healthy times, until death – that all seems like such a given. You already know I'll do that and I know you'll do that. So in addition to those vows, here are some more promises from me to you.

"I promise to never eat a plate of barbecued ribs in front of you."

Hearing this, Emma laughed, as did others in the room. Amused, she also appreciated JT being true to his nature and bringing his sense of humor even into their wedding ceremony.

"And whenever you take me with you to see one of those tear-jerker movies you love, like 'Cousins With The Traveling Gym Socks, Part 3,' I promise to withhold any and all sarcastic comments during the actual movie. Before and after is good enough for me. Plus, I'll probably be asleep during most of the show anyway.

"And finally… I promise to do my best to never give you a reason to regret choosing to spend your life with me as my wife.

Though his smile remained intact, JT's tone had grown more serious with his last comment, and his bride was hoping she wouldn't start to tear up.

"Emma, you've been my best friend for…well, forever. You're the one who understands me the most. And in this last year together… With apologies to all our past English teachers, I can't come up with the perfect words that would explain just how much you mean to me. Knowing you and loving you and being loved by you…it doesn't get better than that for me. Okay…making you laugh is also high up on the list of great things, too. Just know that I'm always going to be here for you. To love you and support you and encourage you in any and every way I can.

"Maybe some people think it's strange that we decided to get married at our age. But neither of us has ever really been shy about doing what we want. And when something is as right as you and me, I think it would only be strange if we didn't make the most out of it."

JT then pointed toward the necklace that Emma was wearing.

"I gave you that heart last Christmas," he commented, "but you've had my heart a lot longer than that. I love you, Emma, and I always will."

"And now you, Emma…" the minister prompted the bride, who by now did indeed have tears forming in her eyes.

"You know, you're a tough act to follow," she teased JT, which made his grin even wider.

"I came here today knowing exactly what I was going to say when it was my turn to speak. But I think I'm going to put that aside and instead tell you what I'm thinking right at this moment.

"JT, I'm not exaggerating when I say that I can't imagine what my life would have been like without you in it for all of these years. And I couldn't ask for a better husband. Your humor, your spontaneity, your caring and encouraging nature…the way you love with your whole heart…I know how fortunate I am.

"As you mentioned, the promises listed in the standard vows are a given for us. But I do want to go ahead and state what I'm confident you already know – That my love for you is unlimited, unconditional and eternal. I promise to take care of you…without trying to control you. And I will do my best not to take you for granted. And even during those occasional moments when we disagree or simply aren't on the same wavelength about a situation, my love and respect for you will never go away.

"We've shared so many experiences, both good and bad, and I look forward to sharing all the adventures still to come. I did mention that I want us to be around for at least the next 82 years, right? Because knowing you, you're already considering some crazy ideas about what we should do when we're 100 years old. I also have a feeling that even then our life together will still be as great as ever. A little slower, perhaps, but I know we'll be making the most out of every moment.

"I love you, JT. And that love is going to last forever."

Emma then looked toward the minister and nodded her head to indicate that she was finished and that he could begin the next portion of the ceremony.

"Wedding rings," he explained, "serve as a physical symbol of a couple's spiritual and emotional bond to one another. Marking the beginning of their marriage, the rings are an outward reminder of a husband and wife's promises of everlasting love and fidelity."

At this time, Liberty handed Emma's ring to JT.

"JT, you may place the ring on Emma's finger," Andrews instructed.

"Emma, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you," JT said, speaking the words that the minister had suggested during the previous day's rehearsal.

Once JT had put the ring on her finger, Emma turned toward Manny, who handed her the ring that the couple had recently gotten for him to wear.

"JT, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you."

"JT and Emma," Andrews resumed once the ring was on the groom's finger, "though your vows were unconventional, your promises of faithful and abiding love were unmistakable. You also further sealed this covenant with the exchange of rings. As such, by the authority vested in me, I declare that you are husband and wife. JT, you may kiss your bride."

"Gladly," the new husband responded quickly.

And without hesitation, JT took Emma into his arms and kissed her.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the minister prefaced his final comment once the kiss was over, "I present…"

"Wait," Emma interrupted, a thought having occurred to her following the kiss. "Sorry, there's just one more thing."

She stepped forward and began whispering to the minister, which provoked JT's curiosity.

"No, that's fine," Andrews told her.

Satisfied, Emma returned to her position as the clergyman began to speak.

"In the interest of maintaining equality from the start of your new marriage… Emma, you may kiss your husband."

Emma grins upon seeing JT's smirk.

"Hey, I just wanted my turn," she explained.

"You won't hear me complaining," JT assured his bride.

The minister then attempted his closing proclamation once again as the newlyweds enjoyed their second kiss.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… Mr. and Mrs. JT and Emma Yorke."

**Notes:** No big cliffhanger this time! Next Chapter – The Reception

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your comments were greatly appreciated.

The usual disclaimers apply, and remember that all episodes after "Holiday" and "This Charming Man" aren't canon in this story. The excerpted scripture during the ceremony comes from the New International Version of the Bible, I Corinthians 13:4-8. This chapter's title, "Love Of My Life," comes from the Michael W. Smith song of the same name. (I'll do a full listing of song references used for some of my chapter titles in the final chapter – which will likely be Ch. 77 - as that's something I've neglected to do in the past.)


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